Ukraine's prosecutor general targets anti-corruption chief before departure
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced charges against NABU chief Semen Kryvonos before reportedly leaving Ukraine, prompting President Zelenskyy to call for his dismissal.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has announced criminal charges against Semen Kryvonos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). Kravchenko accused Kryvonos of forging official documents for substantial illicit gain and orchestrating a sham adoption to avoid legal prosecution.
In response, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) stated that Kryvonos was never officially served a notice of suspicion, characterizing the announcement as a political attack against anti-corruption bodies. The escalation coincides with active NABU investigations into a suspected criminal organization involving current and former lawmakers alongside senior officials in the President’s Office.
Following his video announcement, Kravchenko reportedly crossed the border out of Ukraine in a state vehicle. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy subsequently requested that parliament act quickly to remove Kravchenko from his post.
Sources: NEXTA, OCCRP, Радіо Свобода, The Insider, Українська правда
How outlets assessed this
- OCCRP Critical Framed Kravchenko as a scandal-plagued outgoing official targeting anti-corruption leadership to evade scrutiny.
- OCCRP Critical Framed Kravchenko's actions as an attack by a scandal-ridden outgoing official targeting independent anti-corruption leadership.
- Українська правда Neutral Focused directly on NABU's denial of receiving suspicion notices and its characterization of the accusations as political pressure.
Sources
- NEXTA — Антикоррупционные органы Украины расследуют группу с участием чиновников из Офиса президента
- Радіо Свобода — Генпрокурор Кравченко звинуватив директора НАБУ в підробленні документів та інших злочинах
- Українська правда — У НАБУ відреагували на заяву Кравченка про підозру директору бюро
- The Insider — Генпрокурор Украины Кравченко подписал подозрение директору НАБУ и уехал за границу. Зеленский призвал Раду скорее отстранить генпрокурора
- OCCRP — Under Cloud of Scandal, Outgoing Ukrainian Prosecutor General Targets Anti-Corruption Chief
Earlier coverage
- Oct 16, 2026, 10:00 AM UTCUkrainian president seeks removal of prosecutor general after charges against anti-corruption chief
- Oct 16, 2026, 04:00 AM UTCUkraine's prosecutor general targets anti-corruption chief before leaving country
- Oct 7, 2026, 05:30 PM UTCUkraine prosecutor general targets anti-corruption chief before leaving country
- Oct 3, 2026, 11:30 PM UTCUkrainian prosecutor general charges anti-corruption chief before leaving country
- Oct 2, 2026, 11:30 PM UTCUkrainian prosecutor general signs charges against anti-corruption head before leaving country
- Sep 30, 2026, 11:30 PM UTCUkrainian prosecutor general targets anti-corruption chief before leaving country
- Sep 24, 2026, 11:00 PM UTCUkraine's anti-corruption agency rejects charges against director
- Sep 23, 2026, 11:00 PM UTCUkraine's prosecutor general accuses anti-corruption chief of fraud before leaving country
- Sep 17, 2026, 02:00 PM UTCUkraine's prosecutor general signs suspicion notice against anti-corruption chief
- Sep 16, 2026, 10:30 PM UTCUkrainian authorities uncover draft evasion schemes and thwart Russian plots