Ukraine's fugitive ex-prosecutor general alleges conspiracy, anti-graft agencies hit back
The former prosecutor general broke a month-long silence after fleeing Ukraine to Austria amid a corruption scandal involving senior officials from the Prosecutor General's Office.
Former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, currently a fugitive, denied allegations on October 27 that officials from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) were part of a conspiracy against him. Kravchenko, who fled Ukraine to Austria amid a corruption scandal, made the claim in a social media post.
The NABU and SAPO refuted Kravchenko's claims, stating that his statement was an attempt to secure protection in Austria, a country that rarely extradites Ukrainian nationals to Ukraine. Austria has become a refuge for several former Ukrainian officials facing charges at home, complicating Kyiv's efforts to bring them back for prosecution.
Kravchenko's personal office was searched by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in September as part of a corruption probe, and a top prosecutor linked to him was charged. Evidence suggests Kravchenko's involvement, leading to his resignation on September 7. He left Ukraine on September 14 and approved charges against Semen Kryvonos, the head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau investigating him, which were later canceled and he was dismissed by parliament on September 15.
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