Ukraine's chief prosecutor resigns over call centre corruption scandal

Image source, ReutersByTabby Wilson Ukraine's chief prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko has resigned over corruption allegations related to illegal call centres in the country.

• Zelensky should be asked what he knew about government corruption, sacked minister tells BBCPublished23 August.

It follows a search of his offices over the weekend by Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators, who said they had identified a money-laundering scheme led by an official in Kravchenko's office.

Em sua carta de demissão, Kravchenko disse que não queria que sua posição fosse usada como uma “ferramenta para confrontação política”, e referenciou uma postagem anterior na qual ele rejeitou as alegações como “não fundamentadas”.

Corruption scandals have plagued Kyiv throughout the war against Russia, with accusations levelled at several members of President Volodymyr Zelensky's inner circle.

According to Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap), the network in Kravchenko's office received money to protect call centres that carried out phone scams and "laundered millions in assets.

The money was then used to buy property, jewellery, and other valuables, according to Nabu.

Kravchenko released a statement on Sunday evening dismissing the allegations as "completely unsubstantiated", and denied any wrongdoing.

He tendered his resignation a day later, thanking Zelensky and the Ukrainian parliament for their "trust". The Ukrainian president is yet to comment publicly on the resignation.

Despite the creation of two Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies, Nabu and Sap, over a decade ago, corruption continues to be a significant problem in the country.

Em 2025, protestos em todo o país eclodiram após Zelensky tentar implementar reformas que restringiriam a independência de Nabu e Sap.

Kyiv's European partners expressed alarm at the announcement, with ambassadors from the G7 group of nations warning it could endanger Ukraine's integration into the European Union.

Ukraine is an EU candidate country, a status it was granted on condition it mounted a credible fight against corruption.

Zelensky reinstated the freedom of the two anti-corruption bodies as a result of the backlash, but questions have persisted over his commitment to anti-corruption reform.

A senior official in Zelensky's office alleged to be involved was sacked.

Figure caption, Fedorov asked about Ukraine government corruption claims.

In an interview with the BBC last month, Ukraine's former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the president needed to be asked about his awareness of potential corruption among his closest team.

Let him answer this question... I believe that he's ready for such questions. It's his responsibility to tell us all whether he was aware of all that or not... I don't want to make any assumptions," he said.

Durante seu mandato, o de 35 anos foi creditado por liderar uma campanha contra a corrupção.

Since his dismissal in mid-July, after reportedly falling out with the head of Ukraine's armed forces, he has been outspoken against what he has called a "systemic crisis of governance" in Ukraine.

However, he has emphasised that he has no evidence that Zelensky is personally involved in corruption.

Em todo o tempo em que trabalhei com ele, não recebi de ele nenhuma tarefa ou atribuição que fosse contra a lei ou meu senso de integridade," Federov disse à BBC.

Major corruption scandal engulfs top Zelensky allies.