Zelenskyy: Border Guard Service has also confirmed that former Odesa mayor is a Russian citizen

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that in addition to the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), Ukraine's Border Guard Service has also provided evidence that former Odesa mayor Hennadii Trukhanov holds Russian citizenship, and that he is not interested in whether the passports are genuine.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press briefing, as reported by Ukrinform

Quote: "The Security Service of Ukraine has sufficient evidence that Trukhanov is a Russian citizen.

There is additional information from the Border Guard Service registry that also confirms that Trukhanov is a Russian citizen. How many passports there are, which ones are genuine and which are forged, who issued them – quite honestly, I'm not interested.

Is it a 100% fact that he is a citizen of Russia? The SSU and the border guards both tell me he is. Based on these facts and other documents, an appropriate decision may be taken."

Details: Zelenskyy reiterated that his decision is not politically motivated.

He added that no one can predict "what to expect from the Russians in Odesa", and he needs to be confident that the local authorities will defend the city.

Background:

• On 14 October, President Zelenskyy announced on social media that he had made a decision concerning "individuals found to have Russian citizenship," without naming names.
• The public broadcaster Suspilne and the national joint 24/7 newscast later reported, citing government sources, that the decision pertained to Trukhanov.
• Hennadii Trukhanov had served as mayor of Odesa since 2014. Allegations about his Russian citizenship first emerged that same year. According to Ukrainian law on local self-government, loss of citizenship is grounds for early termination of a mayor's powers.
• Trukhanov has denied holding Russian citizenship and called the decision to strip him of Ukrainian citizenship a "fabrication". He has also stated that he will be filing a lawsuit.
• The SSU later reported, posting photos of the relevant documents, that Trukhanov's Ukrainian citizenship had been terminated because he is a Russian citizen and holds a valid passport issued by the aggressor state.

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