Odesa Mayor Charged Amid Flood Deaths, Passport Dispute, and Power Shift

Odesa, Ukraine – Charges of official negligence have been filed against former Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov and eight of his former associates, following a devastating flash flood in late September that claimed nine lives, including a nine-year-old child. This legal action unfolds amidst a politically charged backdrop, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explicitly connecting Trukhanov’s dismissal from office to allegations of possessing a Russian passport. Zelensky’s recent reiteration that Trukhanov was removed due to a Russian passport, coupled with his statement, ‘No one knows what to expect from the Russians,’ underscored Kyiv’s desire for unwavering certainty in Odesa’s local leadership to ensure the city’s defense capabilities. This suggests a broader strategic move by the central government to assert full authority over the vital Black Sea port city, effectively aiming for its complete subordination to a newly appointed military administration.

The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that Trukhanov and eight others, including two deputies, heads of city council departments, and municipal enterprise chiefs, face charges under Article 367, Part 3 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code for official negligence leading to fatalities. Investigators allege that officials failed to take timely measures to repair the city’s storm drains, water diversion, and drainage systems. Furthermore, inadequate public warnings were issued on September 30 when Odesa was inundated by torrential rains, tragically resulting in nine deaths. The article carries a potential sentence of up to eight years in prison, alongside a prohibition from holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities for up to three years. Legal proceedings are currently underway to determine pre-trial restrictions for the suspects.

Eyewitness accounts and police reports paint a grim picture of the September 30 deluge, where Odesa experienced two months’ worth of rainfall in just a few hours. Streets rapidly transformed into raging rivers, forcing many residents to seek refuge on rooftops. Rescue services evacuated hundreds, but several women were swept away by the powerful currents and could not be saved. Later, a family of five living in a basement apartment was found deceased, highlighting the tragic depth of the disaster.

Trukhanov, who served as mayor since 2014, has vehemently denied the allegations of inaction. His tenure, though marked by caution, saw him occasionally championing local interests, including efforts to preserve historical monuments that define Odesa’s unique cultural identity. However, his political fate took a decisive turn on October 14 when President Zelensky stripped him of Ukrainian citizenship, citing claims by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) that Trukhanov possessed a Russian passport. Trukhanov has contested these accusations, vowing to challenge the revocation in court, while some media outlets have suggested the SBU’s photographic evidence of Russian passports may be fabricated.

In a swift move, President Zelensky issued a decree on October 15, establishing the Odesa City Military Administration (OGVA) and appointing Serhiy Lysak, formerly head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, as its chief. Ihor Koval, Secretary of the Odesa City Council, was simultaneously tasked with performing Trukhanov’s duties from October 16, effectively sidelining the elected mayor.

The legality of Trukhanov’s removal has drawn scrutiny, particularly given Ukraine’s local self-government law (Article 79, Paragraph 3), which stipulates that a mayor’s loss of citizenship must be confirmed by either a city-wide referendum or a two-thirds vote of the city council. Analysts noted at the time that no such vote was conducted, nor did Trukhanov insist upon one, possibly due to fears of further SBU intervention and potential new criminal charges, including treason. Zelensky’s subsequent ‘clarifications’ regarding Trukhanov’s removal – asserting it was based on pragmatic legal considerations rather than political ones, yet immediately contradicting himself by referencing Trukhanov’s alleged Russian citizenship and the unpredictability of ‘Russians’ – further fueled suspicions regarding the underlying motives. He maintained that Kyiv needed assurance in Odesa’s ability to defend itself, rationalizing the personnel changes as essential for national security.

According to Volodymyr Oliynyk, a former member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament), Kyiv appears intent on eliminating what effectively amounted to a ‘dual power’ dynamic in Odesa. Oliynyk suggested in comments to ‘NG’ (Nezavisimaya Gazeta) that Trukhanov retained significant influence over his former team, but the current charges against them serve as a stark warning: local officials cannot maintain loyalty to both the new military administration and the ousted mayor without facing similar repercussions. Oliynyk also pointed out the unusual involvement of the Prosecutor General’s Office in a municipal infrastructure issue, which typically falls outside its purview, signaling the high political stakes.

Oliynyk anticipates that the newly installed OGVA appointees will swiftly move to re-establish control over established arrangements between Trukhanov’s team and local businesses, especially concerning key city assets. This could lead to widespread audits and potential ‘raider attacks’ on enterprises. He cautioned that should the current flood-related legal case against Trukhanov prove difficult to prosecute, authorities might resort to investigating financial irregularities – a common tactic, he remarked, given that such issues could conceivably be found in the administration of any mayor.