Hundreds of people gathered outside Odesa City Hall on the evening of Oct. 14, demanding that Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov be removed from office and face criminal charges.
The rally began as a protest but turned into a celebration after President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the ouster of Trukhanov and announced plans to introduce a military administration in the city. Demonstrators danced and sang Ukrainian songs in the streets after hearing the news.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed that Trukhanov holds Russian citizenship. Under Ukrainian law, dual nationality is not allowed, meaning he will lose both his Ukrainian citizenship and his position as mayor.
Zelensky said Odesa needs “greater protection and greater support,” promising to appoint the head of the new military administration soon.
“Too many security issues in Odesa have remained without proper answers for too long,” he wrote on Telegram.
The president’s decision followed a meeting with SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk, where they discussed security in southern Ukraine, including Odesa.
Zelensky also responded to a public petition calling for Odesa to be placed under military control.
The petition, submitted on Sept. 24 by Ukrainian citizen Ivan Kazachuk, gathered more than 25,000 signatures. Kazachuk argued that Odesa’s security and uninterrupted governance are matters of national defense.
Trukhanov dismissed the citizenship claims as “falsifications” and said he would challenge the decision in court.
Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, reposted Zelensky’s message but has not yet commented publicly.
A new law passed by the Verkhovna Rada and signed by Zelensky on July 15, 2025, will allow dual citizenship beginning in January 2026, but under strict conditions, which will not include citizens of the Russian Federation.