Ukraine chief prosecutor resigns amid call-centre corruption probe

Ukraine's chief prosecutor, Ruslan Kravchenko, has resigned after anti-corruption investigators searched his offices over allegations linked to illegal call centres. The move comes after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office said they had identified a money-laundering scheme involving an official in Kravchenko's office. Investigators said the network protected phone scams and used the proceeds to buy property, jewellery and other valuables.

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Kravchenko said in his resignation letter that he did not want his position to be used as a "tool for political confrontation". He had earlier rejected the allegations as "unsubstantiated", and on Sunday evening he again dismissed them as "completely unsubstantiated" while denying any wrongdoing. He tendered his resignation a day later and thanked President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian parliament for their "trust".

The president has not yet commented publicly on the resignation. The case adds to continuing corruption concerns in wartime Ukraine, where allegations have repeatedly reached into senior political circles. The country created the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office more than a decade ago, but corruption remains a major issue.

In 2025, nationwide protests followed an attempt by Zelensky to curb the independence of the two bodies, prompting alarm from Kyiv's European partners and warnings from G7 ambassadors that the move could threaten Ukraine's path towards European Union integration. The latest allegations are significant because they involve the office responsible for prosecuting serious crime and corruption. Anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine have been under close scrutiny from domestic critics and international partners, particularly since the start of the war with Russia.

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The resignation also comes as the government continues to face pressure to show that anti-corruption reforms are being enforced at the highest levels. That pressure has intensified after a series of recent cases involving senior figures and alleged misuse of public office. Kravchenko's departure follows a weekend search by investigators and a public dispute over the credibility of the claims.

According to the anti-corruption bodies, the alleged network received money to shield call centres that carried out phone scams and laundered millions in assets. The investigators said those funds were then used to acquire valuables, although the full scale of the alleged scheme has not been independently detailed in the supplied material. The resignation therefore marks a new stage in a case that is still developing and politically sensitive.

What remains unclear is whether investigators will bring formal charges, and whether the allegations will lead to further changes inside the prosecutor's office. It is also not yet known whether Zelensky or parliament will respond publicly to the resignation or to the wider claims. The case is likely to remain under close watch because it touches both on corruption enforcement and on Ukraine's broader efforts to maintain support from European partners.

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