ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday signed a decree on establishing a military administration in the southern city of Odesa.

The decree came after remarks from Zelenskyy in an evening video address late Tuesday, where he argued that Odesa “deserves greater protection and greater support.”

“This can be done in the format of a military administration – too many security issues in Odesa have remained without an adequate response for far too long. All effective decisions will be made,” Zelenskyy said.

Another decree was published later Wednesday, in which Zelenskyy appointed Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak as the head of the newly-created administration, after being dismissed from his previous post by an earlier decree.

Vladyslav Haivanenko was later appointed as acting Dnipropetrovsk governor, after serving as the deputy governor of the region since February.

Zelenskyy earlier wrote on US social media company X that he inked a decree following a meeting with Security Service (SBU) head Vasyl Maliuk, revoking the citizenship of “certain individuals” on the grounds that they also had Russian citizenship.

While Zelenskyy did not name those concerned, the SBU later announced that Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov was one of them.

Trukhanov, who assumed his post as mayor of the port city in 2014, denied having applied for or receiving Russian citizenship in a video statement on Telegram. He said he will continue to exercise his duties until the city council adopts a decision notifying the revoking of his Ukrainian citizenship.

“I will appeal the decision to deprive me of Ukrainian citizenship in the Supreme Court. And, if that is not enough, then in the European Court of Human Rights,” he added.