The former mayor of Odessa Ruslan Bodelan passed away at the age of 84.

Today, June 26, the former mayor of Odessa Ruslan Bodelan passed away. This was reported by the head of the Odessa regional military administration Oleg Kiper, as reported by Glavkom.

«His life was closely connected to the history of Odessa - he held responsible positions, was involved in the development of the city and the region, leaving a noticeable mark in administrative management», Kiper noted.

The cause of death is still unknown. Ruslan Bodelan was born on April 4, 1942, in the village of Berezivka, Balta district (now Odessa region). He received his education at the State Pedagogical Institute in Petropavlovsk (Kazakh SSR) and at the Higher Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine. He began his career as a physical education teacher and actively worked in the Komsomol and the Communist Party since the 1960s.

Political activity and public life

During Soviet times, he held the positions of the first secretary of the Odessa regional committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (1990–1991), chairman of the Odessa regional council (1990–1998), and was a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the CPU. From 1992 to 1998, he served as a people's deputy of Ukraine of the I and II convocations. From 1995 to 1998, he was the head of the Odessa regional state administration.

Ruslan Bodelan was the mayor of Odessa from 1998 to 2005. After Viktor Yushchenko's victory in the presidential elections, he left Ukraine. At that Time, a criminal case was opened against him for exceeding his authority.

Ukraine has lost a prominent politician and public figure Ruslan Bodelan, who made a significant contribution to the development of Odessa and its region. He was intertwined with the history of the city and served as a mentor for many descendants. Through his work, he left a noticeable mark in the management of the region, which will undoubtedly keep his memory alive among the residents of Odessa and all Ukrainians.

The former mayor of Odessa Ruslan Bodelan has passed away. His life was connected to the history of the city, where he held responsible positions and made a significant contribution to the development of the region. The cause of his death remains unknown at this time.