Gennadiy Trukhanov: Difference between revisions

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===Mayor of Odesa===

===Mayor of Odesa===

Trukhanov was elected as the mayor of Odesa three times, securing the position in [[2014 Ukrainian local elections|2014]], [[2015 Ukrainian local elections|2015]], and [[2020 Ukrainian local elections|2020]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Жигайло |first=Андрій |date=17 November 2020 |title=Труханов втретє став мером Одеси |url=https://fakty.com.ua/ua/ukraine/20201117-truhanov-vtretye-stav-merom-odesy/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=fakty.com.ua}}</ref><ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web |date=27 May 2014 |title=Труханов офіційно став мером Одеси |url=https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/politics/2014/05/140527_odessa_kyiv_elections_ko |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=BBC News Україна |language=uk}}</ref> He first became mayor of Odesa in 2014, immediately after the [[Euromaidan]].<ref name=”:1″ /> In the [[2015 Ukrainian local elections#Odessa|2015 Mayoral election of Odesa]] Trukhanov was reelected in the first round of the election with 52.9% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Incumbent Odesa Mayor Trukhanov declared winner in Sunday mayoral election |url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/299747.html |website=[[Interfax-Ukraine]] |accessdate=28 January 2019 |language=en |date=28 October 2015}}</ref>

Trukhanov was elected as the mayor of Odesa three times, securing the position in [[2014 Ukrainian local elections|2014]], [[2015 Ukrainian local elections|2015]], and [[2020 Ukrainian local elections|2020]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Жигайло |first=Андрій |date=17 November 2020 |title=Труханов втретє став мером Одеси |url=https://fakty.com.ua/ua/ukraine/20201117-truhanov-vtretye-stav-merom-odesy/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=fakty.com.ua}}</ref><ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web |date=27 May 2014 |title=Труханов офіційно став мером Одеси |url=https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/politics/2014/05/140527_odessa_kyiv_elections_ko |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=BBC News Україна |language=uk}}</ref>

He was elected to the Verkhovna Rada as a representative of the [[Party of Regions]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cvk.gov.ua/pls/vnd2012/WP040?PT001F01=900&pf7331=136 | title=Election Results 2012 Parliamentary Election | publisher=Ukraine | accessdate=25 July 2014}}</ref> Amidst [[2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine|rising unrest in Ukraine]] in the aftermath of the [[2014 Ukrainian revolution]] and the violent [[2014 Odesa clashes]], he was elected mayor of the city on 25 May 2014.<ref name=”Omea”>{{cite web|url=http://www.odessa.ua/en/mayor/ |title=Odessa City Mayor |publisher=Odessa City Council |work=Official Site of Odessa |accessdate=25 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814124620/http://www.odessa.ua/en/mayor/ |archivedate=14 August 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref> In the [[2015 Ukrainian local elections#Odessa|2015 mayoral election of Odesa]] Trukhanov was reelected in the first round with 52.9% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Incumbent Odesa Mayor Trukhanov declared winner in Sunday mayoral election |url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/299747.html |website=[[Interfax-Ukraine]] |accessdate=28 January 2019 |language=en |date=28 October 2015}}</ref>

As part of an investigation, Trukhanov was detained upon his arrival in Ukraine, at Ukraine’s [[Boryspil International Airport]] on 14 February 2018 suspected of embezzlement of property through abuse of power.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 February 2018 |title=Odesa Mayor Trukhanov freed against MP Golubov’s guarantees |url=https://www.unian.info/m/politics/10008875-odesa-mayor-trukhanov-freed-against-mp-golubov-s-guarantees.html |accessdate=28 January 2019 |website=[[UNIAN]] |language=en}}</ref> He was later released on bail. In July 2019, the Odesa District Court found Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov and other defendants not guilty.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Мера Одеси Геннадія Труханова арештували. У чому суть справи |url=https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-65485119 |access-date=26 July 2024 |work=BBC News Україна |language=uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Кушнір |first=Михайло |date=5 May 2023 |title=Вийшов із СІЗО: за міського голову Одеси Труханова внесли заставу |url=https://suspilne.media/467288-zalisaetsa-u-sizo-datu-rozgladu-skargi-truhanova-viznacat-nastupnogo-tizna/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=suspilne.media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=Міський голова Одеси Труханов вийшов із СІЗО – заставу вніс депутат його фракції |url=https://lb.ua/pravo/2023/05/05/554147_miskiy_golova_odesi_truhanov_viyshov.html |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=LB.ua}}</ref>

As part of an investigation, Trukhanov was detained upon his arrival in Ukraine, at Ukraine’s [[Boryspil International Airport]] on 14 February 2018 suspected of embezzlement of property through abuse of power.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 February 2018 |title=Odesa Mayor Trukhanov freed against MP Golubov’s guarantees |url=https://www.unian.info/m/politics/10008875-odesa-mayor-trukhanov-freed-against-mp-golubov-s-guarantees.html |accessdate=28 January 2019 |website=[[UNIAN]] |language=en}}</ref> He was later released on bail. In July 2019, the Odesa District Court found Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov and other defendants not guilty.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Мера Одеси Геннадія Труханова арештували. У чому суть справи |url=https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-65485119 |access-date=26 July 2024 |work=BBC News Україна |language=uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Кушнір |first=Михайло |date=5 May 2023 |title=Вийшов із СІЗО: за міського голову Одеси Труханова внесли заставу |url=https://suspilne.media/467288-zalisaetsa-u-sizo-datu-rozgladu-skargi-truhanova-viznacat-nastupnogo-tizna/ |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=suspilne.media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=Міський голова Одеси Труханов вийшов із СІЗО – заставу вніс депутат його фракції |url=https://lb.ua/pravo/2023/05/05/554147_miskiy_golova_odesi_truhanov_viyshov.html |access-date=26 July 2024 |website=LB.ua}}</ref>

Ukrainian politician (born 1965)

Gennadiy Leonidovich Trukhanov[a] (born 17 January 1965) is a Ukrainian politician. He was the mayor of Odesa from 2014 until 2025, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revoked his Ukrainian citizenship.

Early life and education

[edit]

Gennadiy Trukhanov was born on 17 January 1965 in Odesa, which was then in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a part of the Soviet Union. In 1986, he graduated from the Frunze Artillery School [ru] in Odesa. After graduation, he was given the rank of lieutenant. He was an engineer that specialised in repairing and maintaining automobile equipment.

From 2002 to 2006 he studied at the Kyiv National University of Internal Affairs, where he qualified as a lawyer,[1] and in 2008, he defended his PhD thesis at Odesa I. I. Mechnykov National University.[2][3]

In 2013, he graduated from the Odesa Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine.[2]

From 1986 until 1992, he served in the North Caucasus Military District. He retired from Soviet Armed Forces in 1992 with the rank of captain.[4] From 1992 to 1993, Trukhanov served as the head of the security service at the small research and production enterprise “Minimax.”[5] He then became director of the security company Kapitan & Co., a position he held till 1996.[6] In 2001, he took on the role of advisor to the General Director for Security of the Enterprise with Foreign Investments LLC “Lukoil-Ukraine,” where he worked until 2002.[7] The following year, he served as the assistant to the Security Representative of the President of Lukoil JSC in Ukraine.[8] From 2004 to 2007, Trukhanov was an advisor and assistant consultant in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament). His career continued with a position as advisor to the Director for Relations with Government Authorities and the Public at the private enterprise “Ukrtranscontainer” from 2007 to 2008.[1][3] He then served as the Chief Specialist of the Regional Relations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs of the State Committee of Ukraine for Veterans Affairs from 2008 to 2011.[1] From March to November 2012, he was the Deputy General Director for Customer Relations at Brooklyn-Kyiv LLC.[5]

In 2005, Gennadiy Trukhanov became a deputy of the Odesa City Council.[9] From 2006 to 2010, he also held the position of Chairman of the Permanent Deputy Commission of the Odesa City Council on Youth and Sports issues.[2] In 2010, he became the head of the deputy majority in the Odesa City Council.

Trukhanov as Member of the Verkhovna Rada

On 12 December 2012, he was elected to the Ukrainian parliament as a representative of the Party of Regions in 2012.[10] For the July 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Trukhanov was given a top-ten spot in the party list of Opposition Bloc.[11] In the event, the party only won 3.23% of the vote, failing to get the 5% needed to gain seats in parliament.[12]

Trukhanov was elected as the mayor of Odesa three times, securing the position in 2014, 2015, and 2020.[13][14]
He was elected to the Verkhovna Rada as a representative of the Party of Regions in 2012.[15] Amidst rising unrest in Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the violent 2014 Odesa clashes, he was elected mayor of the city on 25 May 2014.[16] In the 2015 mayoral election of Odesa Trukhanov was reelected in the first round with 52.9% of the vote.[17]

As part of an investigation, Trukhanov was detained upon his arrival in Ukraine, at Ukraine’s Boryspil International Airport on 14 February 2018 suspected of embezzlement of property through abuse of power.[18] He was later released on bail. In July 2019, the Odesa District Court found Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov and other defendants not guilty.[19][20][21]

In 2018, Trukhanov opened the Center for Integrated Social Services, where city residents can receive social services, certificates, or consultations.[22]

Gennadiy Trukhanov led the Ukrainian Muay Thai Boxing Federation.[23] In 2018, he initiated the creation of the High School Students’ Parliament, representing the interests of students and implementing charitable, environmental, national-patriotic, intellectual, and creative projects.[24] That same year, he helped implement the Odesa School Basketball League project, involving 80 teams from 50 schools.[25]

Trukhanov supported the restoration of several architectural monuments, including the Potemkin Stairs, the Russov House, the Falz-Fein House, the Skarzhynsky income house and others.[26][27][28][29] Existing and new parks were also modernised and built, including the Istanbul Park—a joint project of Trukhanov and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas—and the Greek Park, supported by the Greek diaspora.[30][31]

In the 2020 Odesa local election Trukhanov was again a candidate for mayor of Odesa (nominated by Trust Deeds).[32] Trukhanov defeated Mykola Skoryk of Opposition Platform — For Life in the second round of the mayoral election on 15 November 2020, 54.28% of the voters voted for him.[33]

After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Trukhanov created a working group of historians with diverse perspectives on historical facts. The Odesa city government negotiated with the head of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, to form a working group including members of Italy’s Ministry of Culture, researchers from the Polytechnic University of Turin, members of the UNESCO nomination committee, and Odesa historians, cultural experts, and architects. This collaboration led to the Historic Centre of Odesa receiving World Heritage status.[34][35][36]

In May 2023, Trukhanov was again taken into custody under corruption charges and after failing to present US$800,000 in bail.[37]

In 2025, Gennadiy Trukhanov, together with members of parliament, represented Ukraine at the Parliamentary Forum on Security in Madrid, discussing the challenges cities face during wartime.[38][39][40]

Russian citizenship scandal

[edit]

In 2016, the leaked Panama Papers said that Trukhanov held Russian citizenship, despite Ukrainian law banning dual citizenship.[41] Trukhanov denied the allegation.[42] The Panama Papers also show that he has “a substantial business empire in Ukraine through companies registered in the British Virgin Islands“, with a suburb of Moscow listed as his place of residence.[43] On 9 April 2016, Eduard Gurwits, ex-mayor of Odesa, affirmed that Trukhanov possesses three foreign passports: two Russian and one Greek.[44] Trukhanov in 2017, through a Russian court, annulled his Russian passport.[45] Moreover, the Paradise papers indicate that, according to the Italian state police Deputy Commissioner, he trained members of a Ukrainian criminal gang in “hand-to-hand combat and sniper shooting with high precision weapons”.[46]

A petition to revoke Gennediy Trukhanov’s Ukrainian citizenship was posted on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky‘s website on 13 October 2025. It gained more than 28,000 signatures.[47][48] On 14 October, Trukhanov was stripped of Ukrainian citizenship through a decree signed by President Zelensky. A Russian passport that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said belonged to Trukhanov was released. Trukhanov said that these documents were falsified, denied involvement with Russia, and vowed to take legal action against the Ukrainian government. The passport indicates it was issued in 2015, with an expiration date of 15 December 2025. Losing Ukrainian citizenship effectively removed Trukhanov from office as mayor of Odesa. Simultaneously, President Zelensky created a new military administration to govern the city.[49][50][51].

  1. ^ Most commonly transliterated from Russian: Геннадий Леонидович Труханов, also known as Hennadii Leonidovych Trukhanov, Ukrainian: Геннадій Леонідович Труханов
  1. ^ a b c “Від охоронця до керівника Одеси: хто такий мер Труханов”. BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Летяк, Валентина (17 November 2020). “Голова федерації тайського боксу та екс-військовий: біографія Геннадія Труханова”. fakty.com.ua. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b “Труханов Геннадій Леонідович — Біографія, Балотування, Фракції, Політична Агітація | ПолітХаб”. www.chesno.org (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  4. ^ “Геннадій Леонідович Труханов – мер Одеси – біографія”. Політаналіз (in Ukrainian). 16 April 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b “Труханов Геннадій Леонідович”. omr.gov.ua. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  6. ^ “Геннадій Труханов знову йде в мери Одеси: що відомо про кандидата”. РБК-Украина (in Russian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  7. ^ “Труханов Геннадій”. parlament.ua. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  8. ^ “Труханов Геннадій”. LIGA (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  9. ^ “Труханов Геннадій Леонідович”. LB.ua. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  10. ^ “Народний депутат України VII скликання Труханов Геннадій Леонідович”. w1.c1.rada.gov.ua. Офіційний портал Верховної Ради України. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  11. ^ “Вибори Ради: у списку Опоблоку мери 5 міст”. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  12. ^ “Новинський і ще 5 “опоблоківців” проходять у Раду, а Колесніков – ні”. Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  13. ^ Жигайло, Андрій (17 November 2020). “Труханов втретє став мером Одеси”. fakty.com.ua. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  14. ^ “Труханов офіційно став мером Одеси”. BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  15. ^ “Election Results 2012 Parliamentary Election”. Ukraine. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  16. ^ “Odessa City Mayor”. Official Site of Odessa. Odessa City Council. Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  17. ^ “Incumbent Odesa Mayor Trukhanov declared winner in Sunday mayoral election”. Interfax-Ukraine. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  18. ^ “Odesa Mayor Trukhanov freed against MP Golubov’s guarantees”. UNIAN. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  19. ^ “Мера Одеси Геннадія Труханова арештували. У чому суть справи”. BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  20. ^ Кушнір, Михайло (5 May 2023). “Вийшов із СІЗО: за міського голову Одеси Труханова внесли заставу”. suspilne.media. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  21. ^ “Міський голова Одеси Труханов вийшов із СІЗО – заставу вніс депутат його фракції”. LB.ua. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  22. ^ “Прозорий офіс – це новий етап доступності влади – Геннадій Труханов”. Gazeta.ua (in Ukrainian). 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  23. ^ Летяк, Валентина (17 November 2020). “Голова федерації тайського боксу та екс-військовий: біографія Геннадія Труханова”. fakty.com.ua. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  24. ^ Irina, Kovalchuk. “У місті створено Парламент старшокласників – ДОН ОМР” (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  25. ^ “Баскетбол. В Одессе торжественно открыли первый сезон школьной баскетбольной лиги”. Агентство Одеса-Спорт. Новини одеського спорту (in Russian). 16 October 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  26. ^ “В Одессе после реставрации открыли Дом Руссова (видео)”. 04868.com.ua – Сайт міста Чорноморська (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  27. ^ Труханов: Потьомкінські сходи не реконструювалися з 1933 року (in Ukrainian). 22 March 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via www.radiosvoboda.org.
  28. ^ “В Одесі планують відновити будинок Гоголя”. Odesa City Official Website. 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  29. ^ “Мер Одеси Геннадій Труханов: ми створюємо потужне політичне лобі інтересів українців у Парламенті”. LB.ua. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  30. ^ “Стамбульский парк открыт в Одессе”. Ислам в Украине (in Russian). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  31. ^ “Торжественное открытие Греческого парка: готова только арт-зона, а вторую очередь сдадут в 2019 году”. dumskaya.net. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  32. ^ (in Ukrainian) In Odesa, 2 Zelensky, 5 Filimonov and Saakashvili will compete for the mayor’s seat, Ukrayinska Pravda (30 September 2020)
  33. ^ (in Ukrainian) Trukhanov officially won the mayoral election in Odesa, The Ukrainian Week (17 November 2020)
  34. ^ “Труханов звернувся до ЮНЕСКО з проханням розглянути питання виключення Росіі з організації”. Коментарі Україна (in Ukrainian). 25 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  35. ^ “Історичний центр Одеси отримав статус пам’ятки ЮНЕСКО”. LB.ua. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  36. ^ “Одеса в ЮНЕСКО: як ми цього досягли і що буде далі”. LB.ua. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  37. ^ “Mayor of Odesa Gennadiy Trukhanov Arrested in Connection with Embezzlement Charges”. Kyiv Post. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  38. ^ “El alcalde de Odesa pide a Trump un cambio de estrategia: “Ninguna lógica sirve con Putin”“. Diario ABC (in Spanish). 22 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  39. ^ “El alcalde de Odesa alerta Trump: “Ninguna lógica funciona con Putin”“. ElNacional.cat (in Spanish). 22 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  40. ^ “El alcalde de Odesa pide a Trump un cambio de estrategia: “Ninguna lógica sirve con Putin”“. SWI swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). 22 May 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  41. ^ “Hromadske TV: Secret business assets of Odesa mayor Trukhanov”. Kyiv Post. 4 April 2016.
  42. ^ “Truhanov denies knowledge of citizenship”. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 4 April 2016.
  43. ^ Gnap, Dmytro (27 May 2016). “Odesa mayor hides construction business offshore”. OCCRP.
  44. ^ “Ex-mayor of Odesa says Trukhanov has one Greek, two Russian passports”. KyivPost. 9 April 2016.
  45. ^ “Trukhanov in 2017 annulled his Russian passport through the court”. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 14 February 2019.
  46. ^ BBC News (23 April 2018). “Paradise Papers: Ukraine crime gang hid proceeds in luxury London flats”. BBC News.
  47. ^ “Citizenship terminated: Trukhanov received Russian passport in 2015 – SBU”. unn.ua. UNN. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  48. ^ Кошарна, Ольга. “Trukhanov stripped of citizenship: SSU releases copies of Odesa mayor’s valid Russian documents. PHOTOS”. censor.net. Censor.NET. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  49. ^ “Zelensky revokes Ukrainian citizenship of Odessa mayor”. nordot.app. DPA. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  50. ^ Orlova, Alisa. “Odesa Mayor Trukhanov Stripped of Ukrainian Citizenship, Vows to Sue Government”. Kyivpost.com. BIZNESGRUPP TOV. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  51. ^ Dysa, Yuliia; Balmforth, Tom. “Zelenskiy strips Odesa mayor of Ukrainian citizenship”. reuters.com. Reuters.

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