Zelensky Revokes Ukrainian Citizenship of Odessa Mayor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky contiguous revoked the citizenship of Odessa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov, according to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), which stated that the determination was made due to the fact that Trukhanov is besides a Russian citizen.

Trukhanov denied holding Russian citizenship and said helium would situation the determination successful court.

“I volition support myself, I volition spell to court. If the tribunal cannot decide, I volition entreaty to the European Court of Human Rights. This is the tallness of arbitrariness, which cannot beryllium tolerated,” said Trukhanov.

Ukraine prohibits its citizens from holding Russian nationality. Trukhanov, who has served arsenic politician of the country’s largest larboard metropolis since 2014, has faced long-standing disapproval passim his governmental vocation implicit alleged dual citizenship.

“I present person grounds proving that I could not, either personally oregon legally, person obtained Russian citizenship oregon passports,” Trukhanov told the nationalist broadcaster Suspilne.

The SBU stated that the determination to portion Trukhanov of citizenship was based connected grounds showing helium held a valid Russian passport. It published a photograph connected Telegram that appeared to amusement a photocopied leafage of a Russian passport bearing Trukhanov’s sanction and photo.

Trukhanov has besides been nether probe since 2017 for alleged embezzlement, charges helium has denied. A root acquainted with the substance said Zelensky besides revoked the citizenship of 2 different individuals. According to Ukraine’s constitution, the president has the authorization to rescind a citizen’s nationality.

“The Russian citizenship of definite individuals has been confirmed — applicable decisions person been prepared regarding them. The decree has been signed,” Zelensky wrote connected Telegram, without naming names.

Ukrainian media reported that the aforesaid decree besides stripped erstwhile Ukrainian MP Oleh Tsaryov and ballet dancer Sergei Polunin of their citizenship.

Oleksiy Honcharenko, an absorption MP from Odesa and outspoken professional of Zelensky, said that portion Trukhanov “has galore questions to answer,” helium condemned the determination to revoke his citizenship.

“Today they volition region Trukhanov, and everyone volition rejoice due to the fact that he’s a atrocious antheral — but time this repressive instrumentality volition crook against those deemed unsuitable,” helium wrote connected Telegram.