Odesa Mayor Appoints Volodymyr Kharishchak as Interim Director Amid Kuznetsov's Controversy

Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov has appointed a new director of the Municipal Security Department to replace the dismissed Viktor Kuznetsov.

As stated in the mayor's order, the department will be headed by the dismissed director's deputy, Volodymyr Kharishchak.

However, he will head the department as an interim acting director, although it is possible that he will later become a full-fledged head of the department.

Earlier, Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov signed an order to dismiss Viktor Kuznetsov from the position of Director of the Municipal Security Department by agreement of the parties.

Viktor Kuznetsov and his deputy, Yuriy Savchenko, are suspected of abusing procurement for the Defense Forces. According to the prosecutor's office, they purchased tactical clothing and armor plates from the company for the terrorist defense and volunteer units of Odesa at prices that were twice as high as the real ones. As a result, the overpayment amounted to UAH 3.9 million.

In August 2024, Trukhanov temporarily suspended them from their duties, but in November, Kuznetsov returned to his duties.

In July, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa imposed a pre-trial restraint on Kuznetsov, who is suspected of forgery and abuse of power. At that time, the mayor was left with an alternative in the form of bail of 2.3 million hryvnias, reports the Center for Public Investigations, citing the press service of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office. According to the agency, Viktor Kuznetsov's deputy was also sent to a pre-trial detention center.

Before that, law enforcement officers searched the municipal security department in Odesa City Council.

Кирило Бойко