Case description
The NABU and the SAPO accused Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov, businessman Volodymyr Halanternyk, and several others of embezzling UAH 689 million in Odesa.
According to the investigation, members of a criminal group, in collusion with officials from the Odesa City Council, orchestrated a scheme to misappropriate public funds and municipal land, which was subsequently allocated for development projects. The total losses are estimated at UAH 689 million.
In addition to Trukhanov and Halanternyk, the case also involves:
- Oleh Bryndak, former head of the Odesa City Council's land commission
- Vasyl Shkriabai, former head of the Odesa City Council's permanent land commission
- Oleksii Spektor, former director of the Odesa City Council's Department of Municipal Property
- Volodymyr Radionov, Spektor's deputy
- Inna Popovska, director of the Odesa City Council's Legal Department
- Aliona Popova, Galanternik's financier
- Diamid Zhonnyk, owner of News York Corporation
- Ihor Smerteniuk, director of the municipal enterprise City Major Construction
- Oleksandra Kosenko, Halanternyk's accountant
The NABU claims the group obtained development rights to municipal land without undergoing any competitive procedures. Initially, the land was allocated to state agencies or municipal enterprises for permanent use, but was then almost immediately transferred to specific construction companies affiliated with Halanternyk, presumably for further development.
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The developers allegedly paid real money to the criminal organization under so-called "gentlemen’s agreements," while the city council passed resolutions allowing the use of these land plots almost for free. The prosecutor emphasizes that the city budget did not receive any compensation.
As a result, the defendants took control of six land plots in Odesa located on Arkadiiske Plato (Haharinske Plato), Varnenska, Zhabotynskoho, and Akademichna Streets. On these sites, they built the Sea View and Altair-3 residential complexes, as well as the Sea Residence apartment complex.
In another episode, investigators allege that Halanternyk, through connected law firms, arranged the buyout of properties under the pretense of expanding the "Zakhidne" municipal cemetery. Although there was a real need for the community, the situation unfolded differently. The city council only authorized the buyout of the buildings and structures, not the land. However, experts, in violation of the law, inflated their value, appraising the property at approximately UAH 146 million. The total buyout contract included the value of the land use rights, which the seller, Airlines Odesa, did not own.
The suspects are charged under Article 255(1) and Article 364(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The case has been referred to court.
In 2025, Hennadii Trukhanov was stripped of Ukrainian citizenship by a presidential decree. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, he holds a valid Russian international passport and previously possessed a Russian domestic passport, which has since been revoked.
