Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has submitted his resignation amid a high-profile anti-corruption investigation involving officials from the institution he heads.
Kravchenko described his resignation as a conscious political decision. He said he did not want the position of Prosecutor General to be used as a tool in a political confrontation. At the same time, he stressed that his position regarding the allegations remained unchanged.
His resignation followed Operation Carthage, an investigation conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), Ukraine’s key agencies responsible for investigating high-level corruption.
According to investigators, the head of a department within the Prosecutor General’s Office created a criminal organization whose members accepted bribes in exchange for allowing fraudulent call centers to operate without interference. These centers allegedly defrauded both Ukrainians and citizens of other countries. Investigators say the proceeds were invested in real estate, jewelry and other assets. NABU has named five suspects in the case.
A key figure in the investigation is Serhii Kropyva, deputy head of the International Cooperation Department at the Prosecutor General’s Office. Anti-corruption authorities allege that he organized the scheme.
During court hearings, prosecutors disclosed recordings of conversations in which Kropyva referred to someone by the nickname “Boss.” Case materials also alleged that Kropyva may have arranged renovations and the installation of equipment at a house near Kyiv used by Kravchenko’s family, as well as assisted with organizing foreign travel.
Kravchenko has categorically denied any involvement with the illegal call centers or the receipt and laundering of criminal proceeds. He said his family rents the house and that discussions concerning repairs, a security system and household equipment were not evidence of illegal activity. As of publication, authorities had not announced any formal charges against Kravchenko.
Following the launch of the investigation, seven employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office were suspended. Kropyva’s case was referred to a disciplinary commission, while internal investigations were opened into six other employees.
Notably, only several hours before announcing his resignation, Kravchenko told reporters that he did not intend to step down voluntarily.
“I do not believe that I should do so. If the Verkhovna Rada votes or the president initiates my dismissal, I will, of course, comply. I am not clinging to this position,” he said.
The resignation therefore marked an abrupt reversal of Kravchenko’s public position amid growing political pressure and the emergence of new details concerning Operation Carthage. Submitting a resignation does not automatically remove him from office: the final decision must be formalized in accordance with the procedure established under Ukrainian law.
