Prosecutor general Kravchenko denies call-center protection claims, orders reviews

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko dismissed any claims of involvement in safeguarding fraudulent call centers after anti-corruption operations, asserting that he never gave instructions to aid such operations. In a Telegram post, Kravchenko confirmed that a department employee implicated in the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) probe has been suspended and is undergoing formal dismissal procedures.

He emphasized that guilt will ultimately be determined by the court. Kravchenko also announced a thorough review of the International Legal Cooperation Department and the PGO's cybercrime division to scrutinize prior decisions. As part of this probe, he mandated polygraph tests for all prosecutors and staff involved in the oversight and investigation of fraudulent call center cases, stating, "This applies to everyone without exception."

Over the past year, law enforcement carried out over 1,050 searches, shut down approximately 340 call centers, and dismantled more than 5,000 operator workstations, notifying 183 individuals of suspicion, resulting in 93 indictments sent to court. He stressed that while operational successes are acknowledged, internal malfeasance cannot be overlooked.

Kravchenko confirmed that investigators had unhindered access to his office during procedural actions and dismissed rumors about his whereabouts, stating he remains on duty in Kyiv. The prosecutor general's comments came after NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) revealed a criminal organization within the PGO responsible for protecting illegal call centers.

Five suspects face charges of creating or leading a criminal organization and money laundering, with investigators detailing how the syndicate laundered over $450,000 through luxury real estate, jewelry, and movable property. The scheme, allegedly orchestrated by a department head in mid-2025, involved prosecutors and associates systematically collecting bribes from call center operators defrauding Ukrainian and foreign citizens.

Assets worth at least $270,000 were registered under third-party names, and over $225,000 was deposited into relatives' bank accounts disguised as entrepreneurial income. Anti-corruption detectives conducted raids on Friday, Sept. 4, targeting properties linked to Deputy Prosecutor General Mariia Vdovychenko and Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, while PGO spokeswoman Mariana Haiovska denied earlier reports of searches at Kravchenko's residence or office.