Gennadiy Leonidovich Trukhanov[a] (born 17 January 1965) is a Ukrainian politician. He is the mayor of Odesa since 2014.[1][2] Since 2022,he has focused on constructing fortifications,prioritizing budget policies to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense units,and establishing a city humanitarian aid center for refugees.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,Odesa's authorities have prioritized fortifications and support for the Armed Forces. On July 23,2023,a Russian missile strike damaged the Transfiguration Cathedral. Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov condemned the attack,emphasizing Odesa's resilience. Odesa has received global humanitarian aid,with four centers established to support refugees. City officials have assisted in housing,feeding,and finding jobs for displaced persons. As of January 1,2024,over 85,500 people in Odesa had registered as internally displaced.
Trukhanov also formed a historian group to review Odesa's history in 2022. The city collaborated with UNESCO,Italy's Ministry of Culture,and experts from Turin Polytechnic,resulting in Odesa gaining UNESCO heritage status.
Early life and education
Gennadiy Trukhanov was born on 17 January 1965 in Odesa,which was then in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic,a part of the Soviet Union. In 1986,he graduated from the Frunze Artillery School[ru] in Odesa. After graduation,he was given the rank of lieutenant. He was an engineer that specialised in repairing and maintaining automobile equipment.
In 2013,he graduated from the Odesa Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine.[4]
Career
From 1986 until 1992,he served in the North Caucasus Military District. He retired from Armed Forces in 1992,after having attained the rank of captain.[6] From 1992 to 1993,Trukhanov served as the head of the security service at the small research and production enterprise "Minimax."[7] He then became director of the security company Kapitan &Co.,a position he held till 1996.[8] In 2001,he took on the role of advisor to the General Director for Security of the Enterprise with Foreign Investments LLC "Lukoil-Ukraine," where he worked until 2002.[9] The following year,he served as the assistant to the Security Representative of the President of Lukoil JSC in Ukraine.[10] From 2004 to 2007,Trukhanov was an advisor and assistant consultant in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. His career continued with a position as advisor to the Director for Relations with Government Authorities and the Public at the private enterprise "Ukrtranscontainer" from 2007 to 2008.[3][5] He then served as the Chief Specialist of the Regional Relations Division of the Department of Veterans Affairs of the State Committee of Ukraine for Veterans Affairs from 2008 to 2011.[3] From March to November 2012,he was the Deputy General Director for Customer Relations at Brooklyn-Kyiv LLC.[7]
Political career
In 2005 Gennadiy Trukhanov became a deputy of the Odesa City Council.[11] During this period,from 2006 to 2010,he also held the position of Chairman of the Permanent Deputy Commission of the Odesa City Council on Youth and Sports issues.[4] In 2010,he became the head of the deputy majority in the Odesa City Council.
Trukhanov as Member of the Verkhovna Rada
Elections
On December 12,2012,he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada as a representative of the Party of Regions in 2012.[12] In the July 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election Trukhanov was placed in the top ten of the party list of Opposition Bloc.[13] But the nationwide list of this party won 3.23% of the votes and thus did not overcome the 5% election barrier,keeping Trukhanov out of parliament.[14]
Mayor of Odesa
Trukhanov was elected as the mayor of Odesa three times,securing the position in 2014,2015,and 2020.[15][1] He first became mayor of Odesa in 2014,immediately after the Euromaidan.[3] In the 2015 Mayoral election of Odesa Trukhanov was reelected in the first round of the election with 52.9% of the vote.[16]
During Trukhanov's tenure,a moratorium on coastal development in Odesa was imposed.[19] In 2014,Gennadiy Trukhanov imposed a moratorium on the dismantling of kiosks.[20]
During Gennadiy Trukhanov's tenure,electric transport in Odesa was revitalized. In 2016,the municipal enterprise "Odesmiskelektrotrans" modernized tram cars and repair workshops,developed the "Odissey" cabin tram,updated public transport stops,and installed electronic signs to inform about the arrival of trams and trolleybuses. Additionally,a portal for tracking municipal electric transport was developed.[21][22][23] In 2015 Trukhanov supported creation of a new preschool educational institution.[24] A new school,the European Lyceum,was built in Odesa,[25] new stadiums were opened at schools,and a "buffet" system for school meals was introduced.[26] A children's clinic was built in the Peresyp district with 83 offices,over 100 specialists,and a capacity of serving 550 patients per shift.[27]
As part of the investigation,Trukhanov was detained upon his arrival in Ukraine,at Ukraine's Boryspil International Airport on 14 February 2018 suspected of embezzlement of property through abuse of power.[28] He was later released on bail. In July 2019,the Odesa District Court found Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov and other defendants not guilty.[29][30][31]
In 2018,Trukhanov opened the Center for Integrated Social Services,where city residents can receive social services,certificates,or consultations.[32]
Gennadiy Trukhanov led the Ukrainian Muay Thai Boxing Federation.[33] In 2018,he initiated the creation of the High School Students' Parliament,representing the interests of students and implementing charitable,environmental,national-patriotic,intellectual,and creative projects.[34] That same year,he helped implement the Odesa School Basketball League project,involving 80 teams from 50 schools.[35]
In 2019,an Inclusive Resource Center was opened,adapted for people with disabilities and serving 300 individuals.[36]
Trukhanov supported the restoration of several architectural monuments,including the Potemkin Stairs,the Russov House,the Falz-Fein House,the Skarzhynsky income house and others.[37][38][39][40] Existing and new parks were also modernized and built,including the Istanbul Park—a joint project of Trukhanov and Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas—and the Greek Park,supported by the Greek diaspora.[41][42]
In 2020,Gennadiy Trukhanov opened an overpass at the 10th station of the Big Fountain,connecting two parts of the "Health Route." The route's total length is 15 kilometers,making it the largest bicycle-pedestrian path in Ukraine. From 2021 to 2023,over 130 kilometers of bike lanes and paths were arranged in Odesa.[43][44]
In 2025,Hennadiy Trukhanov,together with members of parliament,represented Ukraine at the Parliamentary Forum on Security in Madrid,discussing the challenges cities face during wartime.[48][49][50]
Open civil society
In 2017,the "Public Budget" appeared in Odesa –"a process of interaction between the Odesa City Council and executive bodies with the public,aimed at attracting business entities,public organizations,and city residents to participate in the budget process by submitting projects and holding open public voting.[51][52]
In April 2017,the Odesa City Council,headed by Gennady Trukhanov,presented the "Socially Active Citizen" platform.[53]
In 2018,on the initiative of the Odesa mayor Gennady Trukhanov,a parliament of high school students appeared,the main activities of which are representing the interests of students in their educational institutions and implementing projects in the charitable,environmental,national-patriotic,intellectual and creative spheres.[54]
By order of the Odesa mayor,a Youth Council under the mayor was created. The Youth Council under the Odesa City Mayor is an advisory body on youth policy issues,created for the purpose of interaction between the executive bodies of the Odesa City Council and the youth of the city of Odesa and ensuring coordination of actions to resolve issues related to the life of young people and their participation in all spheres of public life of the city.[55][56]
On the initiative of Gennady Trukhanov,the Council of the "Odesa Union of Nationalities" was created under the Odesa mayor. In recent years,working relations have developed with diplomatic missions accredited in Odesa.
International cooperation
Since 2014,the Odesa City Council,headed by Gennadiy Trukhanov,has established sister-city relations and signed a number of agreements with foreign partners.
Sister city Yokohama,Japan (sister cities since 1965) –on 18 May 2023 a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Odesa City Council (Ukraine),the Yokohama Urban Solutions Alliance (Japan) and the Sansei Corporation (Japan).[57]
Sister city Constanta,Romania (sister cities since 1991) –in continuation of the development of sister city relations,on 13 July 2021,a Declaration on the continuation and strengthening of cooperation between the cities of Odesa and Constanta was signed.[58]
Partner city:Venice,Italian Republic (partnership established in 2022) –on 7 November 2022 an agreement on the development of cooperation was signed between the city of Odesa (Ukraine) and the city of Venice (Italian Republic).[59][60]
Partner city Klaipeda,Republic of Lithuania (partnership since 2004) –on 19 June 2017 a Protocol of Intent was signed to develop partnership relations between the city of Odesa (Ukraine) and the city of Klaipeda (Republic of Lithuania).[61]
Partner city Marrakesh,Kingdom of Morocco (partnership since 2019) –on 16 April 2019 a Cooperation Agreement was signed between the city of Odesa (Ukraine) and the city of Marrakesh (Kingdom of Morocco).[62][63]
On 1 December 2022,a Partnership Agreement was signed between the city of Odesa (Ukraine),the city of Miami and the city of Miami Beach (United States of America).[64]
On 20 January 2021,an Agreement was signed to establish partnership relations between the city of Odesa (Ukraine) and the city of Mombasa (Republic of Kenya).[65]
In April 2025,Odesa City Council,headed by Gennadiy Trukhanov,signed a partnership agreement with the German city of Mainz.[66][67][68][69][70][71]
Under the patronage of Gennadiy Trukhanov,the traditional Diplomatic Christmas Fair is held annually. Representatives of diplomatic missions of foreign states accredited in Odesa,national cultural centres,communities,diasporas,and other organizations actively participate in organizing and conducting the fair.
On the initiative of Gennadiy Trukhanov,the Council of the "Odesa Union of Nationalities" was established under the Odesa mayor. In recent years,working relationships have been developed with diplomatic missions accredited in Odesa.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
Since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,the city authorities of Odesa have focused on the construction of fortifications. The priority of the budget policy was to help the Armed Forces and territorial defence units.[72][73]
On the night of July 23,Russia launched a missile strike against the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa. There was a direct hit at the altar,and as a result of the attack the cult structure of the cathedral was partially destroyed.[74] Trukhanov addressed the occupiers in Russian:[75][76][77]
If only you knew how much Odesa hates you. Not only hates, but also despises. You are fighting with small children. With Orthodox churches. What can I say - your missiles even fly into the cemetery. During this war, you were called by different names. Russians, orcs, scum and nits. However, it is still affectionate. And you are just creatures without clan and tribe, morality and values. And without a future. You know us, Odesa residents, very bad. You won't break us, but you'll make us even angrier. The strength of our defenders, multiplied by the rage and pain of ordinary people, will be your verdict. Glory to Ukraine!
Odesa receives humanitarian aid from all over the world. Despite the full-scale invasion, Mayor of Odesa Gennadiy Trukhanov was focused on maintaining social standards and helping vulnerable populations. Four humanitarian centers to help refugees have been created in all districts of the city.[78][79]
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, City officials have been assisting in housing, feeding and finding employment for IDPs who were forced to leave their homes.[80] Since the introduction of martial law, as of January 1, 2024, 85.5 thousand people applied to the regional departments of social protection of the population of the city of Odesa and received certificates of registration of internally displaced persons.[81]
An important direction in the policy of social protection of forced migrants is providing them with jobs. On June 3, 2022, the Municipal Center for Promotion of Employment for Internally Displaced Persons began its work.[82] The Center's activities provide assistance to the integration of internally displaced persons into the local labour market and provide work to the city's utility companies.
For the purpose of social adaptation and rehabilitation of military personnel, the city authorities created the "HAB Veteran" Service Center to ensure the implementation of the rights and freedoms of veterans and families of military personnel. The city authorities of Odesa cooperate with all military structures that protect Ukraine from Russian occupiers.[83]
Notes
↑ Most commonly transliterated from Russian: Геннадий Леонидович Труханов, also known as Hennadii Leonidovych Trukhanov, Ukrainian: Геннадій Леонідович Труханов
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