Zelenskyy appoints Kovalskyi acting prosecutor general
Zelenskyy appoints Kovalskyi acting prosecutor general
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Key Points
1
The decree assigning Kovalskyi the duties of Prosecutor General invoked Article 11, Part 2 of Ukraine’s Law on the Legal Regime of Martial Law.
2
After Kravchenko’s suspension, his deputy Maksym Krym handled managerial functions at the Prosecutor General’s Office, although no separate order formally appointed him acting Prosecutor General.
3
The Verkhovna Rada approved Kravchenko’s dismissal by a vote of 317 lawmakers.
4
Kravchenko’s allegations included claims that Kryvonos had forged official documents to obtain an unlawful benefit through a sham adoption; the other case reportedly involved alleged influence over High Anti-Corruption Court judges, offering an unlawful benefit and facilitating evasion of mobilization.
5
Kovalskyi was born in Vinnytsia in 1984, graduated from Ukraine’s National Academy of Prosecutor’s Office in 2011, and held several investigative, prosecutorial and supervisory roles in the Vinnytsia regional system before becoming a regional prosecutor’s-office chief.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Anton Kovalskyi as acting Prosecutor General on September 17, following Parliament's approval to dismiss his predecessor Ruslan Kravchenko. TASS reported the move came after a bitter dispute over allegations that Kravchenko had approved suspension notices against National Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Semen Kryvonos and other anti-corruption officials.
Kovalskyi, who previously led the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office, takes over during an ongoing conflict over whether certain notices of suspicion were properly issued. The Verkhovna Rada voted 317-0 to remove Kravchenko, with the decree invoking Ukraine's martial law powers to install Kovalskyi quickly.
A Career Built Across Ukraine's Prosecutor Offices
Kovalskyi, born in Vinnytsia in 1984, has spent his entire career within Ukraine's prosecutor system. Kyiv Independent noted he graduated from Ukraine's National Academy of Prosecutor's Office in 2011 and held multiple investigative and supervisory roles across regional offices before becoming Khmelnytskyi's regional prosecutor.
The Dispute Over Forged Documents and Influence
Kravchenko's dismissal centered on serious allegations. According to reports, he approved notices of suspicion against Kryvonos involving claims of forged official documents and an unlawful sham adoption. Another case involved alleged improper influence over High Anti-Corruption Court judges and facilitating mobilization evasion, MarketScreener reported.
Anti-corruption agencies disputed these allegations. Kryvonos and colleagues at the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office maintained the notices had never been formally served, creating uncertainty about whether the cases even existed in any official capacity.
Martial Law Powers Enabled Quick Succession
Zelenskyy's decree invoked Article 11, Part 2 of Ukraine's Law on the Legal Regime of Martial Law to bypass the normal appointment process. MarketScreener explained this allowed the President to move swiftly during wartime. Deputy Maksym Krym had temporarily handled management functions after Kravchenko's suspension.
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