President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged parliament to swiftly approve the exit of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko after a corruption probe reached his office. Kravchenko resigned without being charged and has accused NABU head Semen Kryvonos of forging documents and arranging a fictitious adoption; NABU and SAPO deny the claims. Parliament is expected to vote after the president submits a formal request. Observers warn the dispute could slow anti‑corruption reforms tied to vital international funding and erode public trust amid the war with Russia.
Zelenskiy Urges Parliament To Quickly Approve Prosecutor General's Exit Amid Anti‑Corruption Clash
FILE PHOTO: Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko attends a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo
KYIV, Sept 14 — President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday urged parliament to move swiftly to accept the resignation or remove Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko after a corruption probe reached his office, intensifying a months‑long institutional confrontation between Kyiv's anti‑corruption agencies and other law‑enforcement bodies.
Kravchenko stepped down last week after investigators said the inquiry had reached his office. He has not been charged or named as a suspect; authorities say a subordinate has been implicated in running a fraud ring.
On Monday Kravchenko issued a "suspicion notice" against Semen Kryvonos, the head of the National Anti‑Corruption Bureau (NABU), one of the agencies probing his office. In the notice Kravchenko alleged that Kryvonos forged official documents to obtain "an unlawful benefit on an exceptionally large scale" and claimed a fabricated adoption had been used to "evade legal liability in court."
NABU and the Specialized Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), which are leading the probe that prompted Kravchenko's resignation, dismissed his accusations as part of what they described as a "systematic attack on independent anti‑corruption bodies." Both organisations said Kryvonos has not been formally charged.
Under Ukrainian law the president must submit a formal request for parliament to accept Kravchenko's resignation; several lawmakers said a vote was expected on Tuesday. Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram app that "there is only one path for this Prosecutor General: removal from office. That is what I told him."
"There is only one path for this Prosecutor General: removal from office. That is what I told him," — Volodymyr Zelenskiy, via Telegram.
Kravchenko has faced criticism from opponents who accused him of attempting last year to roll back the independence of NABU and SAPO — allegations he denies. The dispute is the latest escalation in an institutional power struggle that has strained relations between Ukraine's anti‑corruption watchdogs and other law‑enforcement agencies over the past year.
Implications
Analysts warn the clash could slow progress on reforms tied to critical international funding and undermine public confidence in the government's anti‑corruption commitments. Corruption scandals also risk denting President Zelenskiy's domestic approval at a delicate moment, as Ukraine continues to wage war with Russia and seeks sustained foreign support.
Reporting by Reuters in Kyiv and Anna Pruchnicka in Gdansk; edited by Tom Hogue and Alex Richardson.
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