Trukhanov responds to Ukraine's Security Service publication regarding his Russian citizenship, says he remains Odesa mayor

Hennadii Trukhanov says he will continue to perform the duties of Odesa mayor until the city council adopts a resolution acknowledging the fact that he has been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship.

Source: Trukhanov on Telegram

Details: He reiterated that he has never held Russian citizenship and remains a citizen of Ukraine.

Quote: "All speculations regarding my alleged Russian citizenship are based on the fact that citizens of the former Soviet Union automatically acquired Russian citizenship under certain circumstances.

However, none of those circumstances applied to me!

I have permanently lived in Ukraine, in the city of Odesa. I was never registered on the territory of the Russian Federation, never appeared in Russian citizenship records, and had no grounds for automatic citizenship as a serviceman, since I was discharged from the Armed Forces of the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] on 15 January 1992, while the law recognising citizens of the former USSR as citizens of Russia came into force on 6 February 1992."

Details: Trukhanov added that, under Article 79.11 of the Law of Ukraine on Local Self-Government, the powers of a city mayor end once the city council adopts a resolution acknowledging the termination of citizenship.

Quote: "Until that moment, I will continue fulfilling my duties as the mayor elected by the community.

I will appeal the decision to strip me of Ukrainian citizenship in the Supreme Court and, if necessary, in the European Court of Human Rights."

Background:

• On 14 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had signed a decree concerning "individuals [who] hold Russian citizenship", without disclosing any names.
• However, Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne confirmed via government sources that Trukhanov was among those concerned.
• Hennadii Trukhanov has served as Odesa mayor since 2014, when the first reports emerged alleging that he held Russian citizenship. Under Ukraine's law on local self-government, loss of citizenship is grounds for the early termination of a mayor's powers.
• Trukhanov denied holding Russian citizenship and called the decision to strip him of Ukrainian citizenship a "falsification". He said he will file a lawsuit in court.
• Later, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that Trukhanov had been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship because he is a citizen of Russia and holds a valid foreign passport of the Russian Federation.

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