Ex-mayor of Odessa gets charged with criminal negligence
(MENAFN) The former mayor of Odessa, Gennady Trukhanov, has been hit with criminal negligence charges weeks after his removal by President Vladimir Zelensky under disputed circumstances.
Ukraine’s national police announced the charges on Wednesday, a day after Zelensky told reporters that he “doesn’t care” about the authenticity of evidence used to justify the mayor’s ouster.
Trukhanov, who led the Black Sea port city since 2014, is accused of mismanaging municipal infrastructure, allegedly contributing to the deaths of nine people during flash floods in late September. Eight others, including two former deputies, have also been charged. The offense carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a three-year ban from public office.
Earlier this month, Zelensky revoked Trukhanov’s Ukrainian citizenship, citing reports from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that claimed he secretly held Russian nationality. Media outlets noted that at least one supporting document appeared falsified.
“How many passports he has, which are real, which are fake, who made them – frankly speaking, I do not care,” Zelensky said, adding that he trusted assurances from investigators.
Trukhanov denies the accusations, claiming political targeting, and has yet to comment on the new charges.
The case has intensified friction between Zelensky and leaders of Ukraine’s major cities. Kiev’s mayor, Vitaly Klitschko, criticized the central government, saying its actions “smack of authoritarianism.” Zelensky, whose term officially ended last year, continues to govern under martial law with enforcement by the SBU and other agencies. In July, he attempted to curtail the independence of anti-corruption bodies but retreated after criticism from Western donor states.
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