Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko resigned on September 7 following a NABU investigation into an alleged protection racket for scam call centers.
Key facts
- •Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko resigned on September 7 following a corruption probe into his office.
- •NABU investigators codenamed the operation 'Carthage' to target corruption within the Prosecutor General's Office.
- •Deputy official Serhii Kropyva was charged with organized crime and laundering 90 million hryvnias.
- •Kravchenko's senior deputy, Maria Vdovychenko, resigned on September 8 following the investigation.
- •Activists are calling for a transparent selection process for the next prosecutor general to ensure systemic reform.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko resigned on September 7 after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) launched an investigation into an alleged scam call center protection racket operating from his office. The operation, codenamed Carthage, involved searches at the offices of Kravchenko and his senior staff. While Kravchenko has not been formally charged, evidence from the investigation and recordings have linked him to the scheme.
By the numbers
Investigation and Allegations
The NABU operation began on September 4 with searches of the office of Serhii Kropyva, a deputy head in the Prosecutor General's Office described as a confidant of Kravchenko. Kropyva has since been charged with organized crime and laundering 90 million hryvnias. NABU recordings reportedly refer to a "boss" protecting the group, with investigators identifying the figure as Kravchenko. Additionally, investigators found evidence of Kropyva arranging repairs at a house in Kozyn used by Kravchenko, which was not included in the prosecutor's asset declaration.
Political Fallout and Resignation
Kravchenko, previously considered a staunch loyalist to President Volodymyr Zelensky, faced mounting pressure as the scandal unfolded. Following a meeting on September 7 between Zelensky, parliamentary leader David Arakhamia, and heads of anti-corruption agencies, Kravchenko submitted his resignation. Some lawmakers within Zelensky's party had reportedly viewed Kravchenko as a "last line of defense" against potential criminal charges, but others felt his continued presence had become a liability for the president.
Timeline
- September 4NABU detectives conducted searches at the offices of the Prosecutor General and his deputies.
- September 6Kravchenko made a public statement denying his complicity in the alleged scam call center scheme.
- September 7Kravchenko resigned following a meeting with President Zelensky and anti-corruption agency heads.
- September 8Senior deputy Maria Vdovychenko resigned from her position.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Kyiv Independent.
