Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Brigadier General Serhiy Lysak of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) as head of the newly created military administration of the city of Odessa. The announcement appeared on the official website of the head of state.
Lysak's appointment means that the president is taking control of Odessa from long-time mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov, whom the president stripped of Ukrainian citizenship the day before.
Reasons for the president's decision
According to the BBC, Zelensky made this move for two main reasons. The first was the ineffective response of the Odessa authorities to the devastating flood disaster that claimed nine lives and exposed the weaknesses of the local administration. The second was the evidence of Truchanov's Russian citizenship, which had been discussed for years, but only now have the special services presented the president with certified documents.
With the establishment of a military administration, Zelensky gained the legal right to appoint a city leader even without elections, which will enable him to stabilize the situation in this strategically important area for the duration of the state of emergency, reported the portal Ukrajinska pravda. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Odessa regional administration are to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to establish it.
However, Truchanov claims that he has never held a Russian passport and plans to appeal to the Supreme Court of Ukraine and the European Court of Human Rights. Given his influence in the city council, he could remain in office for some time, according to the BBC, although Kiev has made it clear that it intends to exercise strict control over the strategically important port city.
Who is Serhiy Lysak
Serhiy Lysak is a brigadier general in the SBU and has had a long career in the security services. In the past, he served in the elite Alfa unit and headed the regional department of the SBU in Zhytomyr and later in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Since 2023, he has been at the helm of the local military administration.
He took part in anti-terrorist operations in Donbass and received several awards. In an interview, he described his work succinctly: “Exposing spies, intelligence officers, counter-sabotage.”
Lysak is considered a disciplined and incorruptible officer who avoids media attention. He is also known for his relationship with sports—he practices Greco-Roman wrestling and is vice president of the Ukrainian Federation for this sport. He says about himself that his life follows the pattern “home—work—gym.”
Strategic importance for Kyiv
Lysak's appointment is a strategic move by Kyiv, which wants to strengthen its control over the south of the country. Odessa remains one of the main targets of the Russian army, and its stability is crucial for Ukraine.
“Odessa deserves more protection and more support,” Zelensky said in his speech. According to him, Serhiy Lysak is the man who will fulfill this task.