Late yesterday, Hennadiy Trukhanov, former mayor of Odesa, and two of his deputies were officially charged and handed notices of suspicion for official negligence. The charges relate not to treason, but to their failure to take action during the flood in Odesa on September 30, which killed at least ten people.
Allegations that Trukhanov is a Russian citizen still require court confirmation. President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he does not care about the authenticity of Trukhanov's passport, as there is evidence from the Security Service of Ukraine and law enforcement regarding his citizenship. Zelensky emphasized that Russians should not run the city during wartime.
On October 28, authorities conducted about 25 searches of Trukhanov and former colleagues. Observers note that the issue is being viewed in both criminal and political terms, amid continued changes in Odesa's local government.
Analysts point out Odesa's outdated infrastructure complicates disaster response. Similar criminal cases against mayors have occurred in other cities, and the Trukhanov investigation is marked by political intrigue and central-local government tensions.
