Ukraine's Prosecutor General Kravchenko Leaves Country Overnight in Official Car
Sources tell Ukrainska Pravda that Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko crossed Ukraine's border overnight on September 14 in an official vehicle, reportedly using a trip to Lithuania as cover. An anti-corruption watchdog claims his departure came in exchange for signing a suspicion notice against the NABU director.
According to Ukrainska Pravda sources in law enforcement, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko crossed the border out of the country at around 2:30 AM on September 14 in an official service vehicle. A business trip to Lithuania was reportedly used as the pretext for the crossing.
The Anti-Corruption Action Center (CPK) claims Kravchenko signed a notice of suspicion against National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Director Semen Kryvonos in exchange for being allowed to leave the country. Before departing, Kravchenko reportedly recorded a video alleging crimes committed by the NABU director and a person close to the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP). CPK states such a departure would only have been possible with the consent and permission of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Background
Earlier, Kravchenko announced he had signed a suspicion notice against NABU Director Kryvonos, accusing NABU and SAP of seizing case materials against their own employees during searches conducted as part of the "Carthage" special operation. NABU and SAP responded that no official suspicion notice had been served to Kryvonos, characterizing Kravchenko's statement as a continued attack on anti-corruption bodies. President Zelensky subsequently urged parliament to urgently support Kravchenko's dismissal.
The situation began on September 4, when NABU and SAP conducted searches at the properties of Kravchenko, his deputy Maria Vdovychenko, and Odesa regional administration head Oleh Kiper. Searches at Vdovychenko's premises reportedly uncovered materials indicating surveillance of anti-corruption agency leaders, their families and subordinates. Sergiy Kropyva, deputy head of the Prosecutor General's Office international legal cooperation department, was also detained, suspected of taking bribes from fraudulent call centers. Amid the investigation, Kravchenko had submitted his resignation as prosecutor general.
