Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine EPA/
The triple “attack” on Odessa was a false step for the president of Ukraine, who wants to fend off rivals. An internal political siege will be at stake.
It is a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance against Russia, but now Odessa has been the target of “attacks”… of Kiev.
They are not land or air attacks, they do not involve the military. But over the past week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration has launched a series of measures that affect Odesa’s governance, language rights and historical heritage.
These are measures that have already generated widespread criticism among local residents and political observers: they feel that the democracy ea autonomy locations are being threatened.
President out
The most controversial measure was the revocation of Ukrainian citizenship and removal from office of the speaker of the Chamber Municipal de Odesa, Gennady Trukhanov.
Trukhanov won elections three times, but was accused of possessing a Russian passport (something he denies).
Critics emphasize that the action bypassed justiceviolating Article 25 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which prohibits the revocation of citizenship.
Many interpret the decree as a politically motivated maneuver designed to fend off a potential rival in the upcoming presidential elections.
In fact, , who writes that this “attack on Odessa went too far”adds that Zelenskyy is trying to fend off likely competitors to the elections.
Russian and Moldovan, no
In addition to the political turmoil, Kiev passed legislation that removes Russian and Moldovan from the list of protected minority languages.
The decision affects millions of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, including residents of Odessa, a city known for its linguistic diversity.
Many places consider the measure a attack to your identity, further deepening the feeling of alienation from the central government.
Also in culture
O historical heritage of Odessa is also under scrutiny.
The Kiev Institute of National Remembrance ordered the withdrawal of figures considered “imperialists” – like Count Mikhail Vorontsov, a 19th-century governor who played a crucial role in shaping Odessa as a cosmopolitan port on the Black Sea.
There are critics who argue that erasing figures like Vorontsov threatens to disconnect the city from its European heritage, rather than “decolonizing” it.
“Unprecedented” attack
Altogether, these actions have been described as an unprecedented attack on Odessa’s self-government, language and cultural identity.
Arose a widespread opposition at the local level, including even Trukhanov’s political rivals, who classify the central government’s decree as a violation of democratic principles.
Residents, who have endured years of Russian bombing and welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees, now face what many perceive as a internal political siege.
The danger
And these measures can have strategic consequences.
Instead of promoting unity, Kiev risks alienating key regions, undermining local support and offer propaganda opportunities to Moscow.
For Odessa, a city long emblematic of Ukraine’s openness, multilingualism and European orientation, the perception of imposed loyalty and cultural erasure has generated frustration and resentment, raising questions about the broader trajectory of wartime Ukrainian democracy.
“Or are you with me…”
The Spectactor suggests that Zelenskyy’s message is clear: loyalty by decree. “Either it’s my way, or you’re out.”
Remember that it was not only Russia that controlled internal damage since the war began in 2022: Zelenskyy’s government sanctioned rival politicians, closed television channels, silenced anti-corruption critics and dissolved parties under the justification of “national security”.
There is an apparent narrowing of public life, a purge calculated dissent, up to a control of politics and culture – looking at Odessa.
That is, the Zelenskyy’s government is applyingin some contexts, What do you criticize about Putin’s government?.