Ukrainian media reported that Vladimir Zelensky had stripped ballet dancer Sergei Polunin of his country’s citizenship. In 2018, he received a Russian passport.
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky has stripped ballet dancer Sergei Polunin of his country’s citizenship. This was reported by the Ukrainian TV channel TSN during a United News television marathon.
In addition to Polunin, Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov and former People’s Deputy of Ukraine Oleg Tsarev were also deprived of their citizenship. Trukhanov has been mayor of Odessa since May 2014. After being stripped of his citizenship, he will have to leave his post. “The president has signed a corresponding decree,” the channel said in a statement.
Image above: Mr. Polunin in flight during a performance
On October 14, Vladimir Zelensky wrote in his Telegram channel that he had held a meeting with the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Malyuk. As a result, he signed a decree on some individuals who had confirmed Russian citizenship. “Appropriate decisions have been prepared on them,” the President of Ukraine said, without specifying who exactly he was talking about.
Sergey Polunin was born in Kherson in 1989, which is within the 1991 borders of Ukraine. He studied at the Kiev Choreographic College, and later moved to London to study, after which he joined the troupe of the London Royal Ballet. In Russia, over the years, he collaborated with the Theater. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, and was a guest soloist at the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.
Image above: Mr. Polunin has many political tattoos including the face of the Russian president and the national seal for Russia and Ukraine on the back of each hand.
In 2018, Polunin received Russian citizenship and, posting a photo of his Russian passport on social media, stated that he supported Vladimir Putin’s policies. In 2023, he became the winner of the presidential Prize for young cultural figures. It is important to note that Polunin has three tattoos with the image of President Putin. He got each one done after every hand shake that he had with the leader of Russia.