The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine is conducting a large-scale internal investigation into the departure abroad of former Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalsky announced comprehensive checks following the high-profile anti-corruption operation 'Carthage,' which affected the top tiers of the agency.
Investigation Progress and Personnel Purges
As part of the internal audit, the disciplinary inquiry regarding Aydin Khudiyev, former deputy head of a PGO department, has been completed; his position was abolished, and the findings were forwarded to the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors. Similar investigations target Serhiy Kropyva, deputy head of the Department for International Cooperation, who was detained in the 'Carthage' case. In addition, 24 prosecutors underwent mandatory polygraph testing to detect potential abuses.
Structural Reorganization and Dismissals
Following the first stages of the reform, 8 individuals mentioned in connection with the 'Carthage' operation were dismissed from the prosecutor's office, seven of whom worked directly within the PGO. The agency liquidated the cybersecurity crime countermeasures directorate and reorganized the Investment Protection Department. The personnel audit also affected regional prosecutor's offices: leaders and deputies lost their positions in several regions, including Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Volyn, and Kharkiv oblasts.
Rejection of Controversial Appointments
Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalsky made a principal decision not to use the transitional provisions of Law No. 4555, which allowed appointing individuals to positions without a competition if they were not prosecutors at the time of appointment. The agency's leadership intends to thoroughly evaluate the practice of applying this norm and review already made appointments to restore public confidence in the prosecutorial institution.
