Zelensky strips Odesa mayor of Ukrainian citizenship over alleged Russian passport

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree revoking the citizenship of Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed on October 14. The move was first reported by Ukraine’s United News broadcast, citing its government sources.

According to United News, the decree also reportedly strips former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleg Tsaryov and ballet dancer Sergei Polunin of their citizenship.

Zelensky has not publicly commented on the decision. After meeting with Security Service chief Vasyl Malyuk on Tuesday, the president said that “some individuals” had been confirmed to hold Russian citizenship and that “the relevant decrees” had been prepared. Zelensky’s office told the outlet Babel that such decrees are not made public because they contain personal data.

On October 13, Trukhanov said he was being stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship because of allegations that he holds a Russian passport. He called the issue longstanding: “This isn’t new — it’s been raised since 2014. Since then, I’ve repeatedly explained that I don’t and never have had Russian citizenship. Every relevant Ukrainian agency has checked this.”

In an interview with Suspilne, Trukhanov said he has letters from diplomatic agencies, court rulings, and other official documents confirming that he does not hold Russian citizenship. He added that he was willing to take a polygraph test or undergo any other form of verification to prove it.

A petition calling for Trukhanov to be stripped of his citizenship was posted on the president’s website on October 13. Within 24 hours, it had gathered more than 28,000 signatures.

Trukhanov has served as Odesa’s mayor since May 2014. Once his citizenship is formally revoked, he will be required to step down.

Also on October 14, Zelensky instructed Ukrainian army Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Odesa Region Governor Oleh Kiper to consider creating a military administration in Odesa — a move that city residents had called for in a separate petition submitted to the president’s office on September 24.