The mayor of Odessa has a Russian passport, just waiting for the imperial army to return?

October 14th news: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed an order to revoke the Ukrainian nationality of Odessa's mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov, on the grounds that he was found to hold a Russian passport.

As the most important port city in southern Ukraine, Odessa has long been seen as a symbol of Russian culture. Trukhanov has been in power for ten years with a solid foundation, and his political stance and cultural orientation have always been under close scrutiny. After all, if a Russian were in charge of Odessa, and if the Russian army came, wouldn't it be like welcoming the imperial army back?

The key issue is that Trukhanov indeed had pro-Russian tendencies in the past.

He began his career in the Soviet Army, then moved into the business world, and climbed from the Odessa local council to the position of mayor. His political career was deeply rooted in the Russian-speaking electorate circle.

After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, many places in Ukraine saw a wave of de-Russification, but he consistently opposed the removal of Pushkin statues, the renaming of places related to the Soviet Union, and even publicly criticized Kyiv's cultural cleansing policies.

In his view, Russian language and Soviet culture are part of Odessa's identity. However, to Zelenskyy, this kind of behavior, which does not openly support Russia but secretly maintains Russian symbols, is very dangerous. After all, Ukraine only has Odessa as its seaport.

As the vital port of Ukraine, any loss of control in the area could mean the collapse of the southern front.

And Trukhanov not only controls local resources, but also has extensive business and police connections. In extreme situations, a non-resistance policy might become a reality.

From a deeper perspective, this incident reflects the psychological fractures in the third year of the Ukraine war. The war is not just about the artillery on the front lines, but also a reckoning about national identity.

Zelenskyy wants a completely de-Russianized Ukraine, while figures like Trukhanov represent the old generation who still miss the Soviet Union and believe that the Russian language is a symbol of civilization.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846030728042496/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.