Zelensky calls for Ukraine prosecutor general’s swift removal

President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukrainian lawmakers on Monday to swiftly back the dismissal of Ukraine's prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, as tensions rose over a series of high-profile anti-corruption investigations. Kravchenko resigned his post last week after a corruption probe reached his office; however, he was neither charged with a crime nor named a suspect, but rather, a subordinate was accused of involvement in a fraud ring.

Tensions between Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs and other law-enforcement agencies have been strained over the past year, with Kravchenko signing a "suspicion notice" against the head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Semen Kryvonos. Kryvonos was alleged to have forged official documents for personal gain and allegedly adopted a strategy to evade legal liability in court.

Both NABU and SAPO, the other anti-graft agency involved in the investigation, denied Kravchenko's allegations and stated that Kryvonos had not been formally charged. Ukrainian law requires Zelensky to submit a formal request for parliament to accept Kravchenko's resignation, which is expected to be voted on Tuesday by several lawmakers.

Kravchenko faced criticism for allegedly participating in an attempt to undermine the independence of NABU and SAPO last year, accusations he denies. The power struggle unfolds as Ukraine grapples with meeting anti-corruption reform obligations required to secure funding from international partners, while also facing corruption scandals that chip away at Zelensky's trust and public approval ratings during a critical fight against Russia.