Prosecutor General's Office confirms that searches were conducted at premises used by its head
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has confirmed that detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) searched the official premises used by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, his First Deputy Maria Vdovychenko and other Prosecutor General's Office staff around midnight.
Source: Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office
Details: The Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) said that the searches gave detectives access to case files concerning possible unlawful actions by individuals close to the leadership of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
According to the OPG, the case was being probed under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General's Office, and SAPO's leadership was aware of the investigation and its progress.
NABU has also gained access to materials from another case, including information gathered during covert investigative operations into possible unlawful activities by NABU and SAPO staff.
The OPG said it seeks to determine whether the detectives had been granted access appropriate to the case for which the searches were conducted, whether the materials had been examined, copied, or seized, and whether the actions had been authorised by a court.
Quote: "At around midnight, NABU detectives did, in fact, conduct investigative actions at the offices used by the Prosecutor General, the First Deputy Prosecutor General and other staff and departments of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
The scale of these investigative actions, the grounds for them and the list of materials accessed require a separate legal assessment."
More details: Regarding Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the OPG noted that the search warrant refers, in particular, to conversations between an OPG employee and others about the "dark tiles", the installation of an alarm system and internal sensors in the premises used by the prosecutor general. According to the OPG, the investigators believe the conversations concern funds that may have been obtained illegally.
However, the Prosecutor's Office maintains that the materials cited in the warrant contain no direct evidence that Kravchenko instructed anyone to facilitate the operations of scam call centres, obstruct their exposure or investigation, warn them about investigative actions, receive funds or unlawful benefits from the activities, or pay for repairs and other services using money of criminal origin.
The OPG says the link between these everyday conversations and possible criminal activity in the case file is based "predominantly on assumptions".
The Office also highlighted a conversation about possible amendments to Order No. 309 on the work of prosecutors in criminal proceedings. According to the investigators, an Office employee referred to an agreement with the "boss", which they understood to mean the prosecutor general. This conversation was among the grounds for the investigative actions.
The OPG emphasises that Ruslan Kravchenko did not sign the amendments, which were neither adopted nor brought into force.
The OPG said the conversations cited in the ruling in relation to First Deputy Prosecutor General Mariia Vdovychenko concerned investigative actions targeting scam call centres and efforts to combat their activities. However, the Office said investigators also relied on these conversations as evidence of possible facilitation of the call centres' activities.
Background: On the evening of 4 September, OPG spokesperson Mariana Haiovska emphasised in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda that no investigative actions had been carried out either at the prosecutor general's home or in his office.
Sources in political circles have told Ukrainska Pravda that Kravchenko's whereabouts have been unknown since NABU and SAPO launched the Carthage operation. Meanwhile, the OPG insists that Ruslan Kravchenko is at his workplace on Saturday.
Subscribe on Patreon to back our journalism long-term.