Trukhanov sues Zelensky over deprivation of citizenship

Former Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov has filed a lawsuit against President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the Supreme Court of Ukraine.

This was announced by the former mayor himself.

"This is not just a statement of a few pages. Our statement of claim with annexes consists of 986 pages. These are official materials checked by the NABU, materials received by my defense lawyers at the trial, and official responses from foreign lawyers. In particular, there is an official response dated December 30, 2025, which clearly states that I do not have and have never had the citizenship of the Russian regime," Gennady Trukhanov said.

He also noted that the Supreme Court had already opened proceedings in the case on April 9. The court ruling states that all the motions of the former mayor and his lawyers were granted. In particular, the motion to involve third parties on the side of the defendant - the State Migration Service of Ukraine and the Main Department of the State Migration Service of Ukraine in Odesa region. The court also granted a motion to request evidence that the mayor was unable to obtain.

Earlier, the former mayor of Odesa, Gennadiy Trukhanov, stated that he had official documents confirming that he did not have Russian citizenship. According to him, he received a response on December 30, 2025.

Trukhanov noted that due to the lack of responses to inquiries to Ukrainian state bodies, his lawyers used international legal mechanisms through third countries, as diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Russia have been severed. As a result, according to the former official, they received documentary evidence of his lack of Russian citizenship.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree depriving the mayor of Odesa of Ukrainian citizenship in October last year. On the evening of October 12, Trukhanov published a statement that he was going to be deprived of Ukrainian citizenship on the basis of his alleged Russian citizenship.

Last year, more than 25,000 Ukrainians signed a petition asking for the mayor of Odesa to be deprived of Ukrainian citizenship in less than a day.

Кирило Бойко