Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has appointed Serhiy Lysak, former governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, as the new head of Odesa’s city administration, following the dismissal of Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.
The appointment comes after Zelenskiy revoked Trukhanov’s Ukrainian citizenship over allegations that he held a Russian passport, a violation that automatically disqualifies him from public office under Ukrainian law.
Lysak will oversee a newly established city military administration, a wartime governance structure placing key urban centers under direct presidential authority. Such arrangements have become increasingly common since Russia’s 2022 invasion, though critics say they erode local democratic governance.
Trukhanov, who has served as Odesa’s mayor since 2014, denied holding Russian citizenship and vowed to challenge his dismissal in court. He has also been an outspoken critic of Ukraine’s ongoing “de-Russification” campaign, which seeks to eliminate Russian influence from Ukrainian public life.
With elections suspended under martial law, Lysak’s appointment effectively brings the strategic Black Sea port city under Kyiv’s direct control at a pivotal stage in the ongoing war with Russia.
