Ukrainian Prosecutor General on possible cases against heads of Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies: I did not investigate this issue 

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has been unable to answer a question from Ukrainska Pravda about the possible existence of criminal cases involving National Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Semen Kryvonos and Head of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Oleksandr Klymenko.

Source: Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko during a press briefing in Kyiv

Quote: "I have not investigated this issue. I cannot answer you. These questions were not raised in my office."

Details: The day before, NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and SAPO Head Oleksandr Klymenko said they were preparing for various possible scenarios, including criminal cases being opened against them.

Background:

• On 21 July, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office conducted approximately 80 searches targeting 19 employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau in various oblasts of Ukraine.
• The NABU detectives have been charged with treason, illegal trade with Russia, and corruption in the interests of oligarchs. Meanwhile, the State Bureau of Investigations has stepped up its efforts looking into materials on road accidents involving NABU employees that occurred several years ago.
• The next day, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) passed Law No. 12414 On Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure Code on Peculiarities of Pre-trial Investigation of Criminal Offences Related to the Disappearance of Persons Under Special Circumstances in the Conditions of Martial Law, with amendments that make the NABU and the SAPO dependent on the decisions of the Prosecutor General. 
• The heads of the NABU and SAPO, Semen Kryvonos and Oleksandr Klymenko, called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to sign the document, which effectively destroys the independence of the anti-corruption agencies. However, on the evening of 22 July, Zelenskyy signed the law. 
• Protests were held in many cities across Ukraine following the adoption of this legislative initiative.

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