Former Odesa Mayor Trukhanov comments on suspicion: sewage system is to blame

Former Odesa mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov said that the suspicion of official negligence is groundless. He assured that the city services had acted in a coordinated manner, and that the consequences of the bad weather were the result of long-standing problems with drainage.

He voiced his position live on the Suspilne. Studio TV program.

Trukhanov said that the suspicion came as a surprise to him, as the city authorities reported to government officials after the storm and did not receive any comments from the Cabinet of Ministers or the State Emergency Service. According to him, city services have been working since September 29, and all actions have been documented.

He acknowledged that the problem with sewage in Odesa is long-standing and requires billions of dollars in investments, but assured that projects to improve the situation were implemented during his term.

"Odesa has a catastrophic situation with sewage disposal. This is a nationwide project that has not been completed for over 13 years. The state has allocated UAH 500 million for a deep-water outlet, but it is still not working," the former mayor said.

Trukhanov also claimed that the city authorities had published weather warnings in advance, and all services were operating in an emergency mode. According to him, the message from the Hydrometeorological Center about the red level of danger came after people had died.

"And I'll tell you frankly, I'm ready to answer, I'm ready to provide all the information, I would like it to be objective. Because when I read this suspicion, you know, it's some kind of fantasy," Trukhanov emphasized.

The former mayor said he was ready to cooperate with the investigation and provide all the necessary information.

Gennadiy Trukhanov was served with a notice of suspicion on the evening of October 28, right in the parking lot of the Ark Spa complex. According to the investigation, the former official failed to ensure the proper functioning of city engineering networks and did not take measures to repair storm sewers and drainage systems. Eight officials were charged with negligence under Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of preventive measures and possible removal of officials from office is currently being decided.

On September 30, 10 people died in Odesa due to heavy rain. The bad weather led to serious consequences: flooded streets, power outages, damaged property, and massive tree falls. Approximately 300 private and 400 apartment buildings were affected.

The Center for Public Investigations also wrote about the long-term project, the Deepwater Production, which has been accompanied by high-profile scandals from the very beginning. According to the journalists, millions from the budget have been spent, the trial is still ongoing, Ruslan Tarpan is in hiding, and the project is not fully operational.

Анна Бальчінос