Ukraine prosecutor general resigns after anti-corruption raid
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Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stepped down following a raid by anti-corruption agencies over allegations that officials in his office facilitated large-scale money-laundering for illegal call-centre scams.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko resigned on Monday after anti-corruption investigators raided his office, alleging that senior staff helped launder money for fraudulent call-centre operations. The raid, carried out by the Nabu and Sapo agencies, required agents to climb a metal gate with ladders after staff barred entry. Kravchenko, who denied any wrongdoing, left his post after a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the discussion was "fairly long" and that Kravchenko would submit his resignation to parliament.
Nabu investigators claim a senior official in the prosecutor’s office protected the scam network, which allegedly extracted protection payments of about $7,000 per month from each call centre. The scheme is said to have involved hundreds of centres employing roughly 60,000 people and targeting victims in Ukraine, Russia and the EU. Evidence released by Nabu includes images of a safe filled with cash and recordings suggesting a suspect oversaw repairs at Kravchenko’s home while collecting bribes.
The president previously attempted to curtail the independence of Nabu and Sapo but reversed the move after public protests. Law-making officials have called for reforms to the prosecution service, emphasizing transparent appointment processes as essential for Ukraine’s EU accession prospects.
"Society is shocked and appalled by government officials who are basically behaving as mafia," said transparency advocate Olena Tregub, describing the scandal as organized crime rather than ordinary corruption.
The resignation comes amid intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, which have caused civilian casualties and disrupted daily life.