Ukraine’s top prosecutor stepping down after subordinates exposed for abuse
Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin announced resignation in the wake of reports that exposed a number of prosecutors who falsely registered as disabled persons, thus paving way to certain privileges.
That’s according to a statement posted on the PGO’s Telegram channel, Ukrinform reports.
"I consider absolutely right the position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as to the fact that not only should all unlawful decisions regarding the granting of disabilities, corresponding pensions, and other payments be canceled, not only clear legislative and organizational changes be made, but also personal accountability must be in place. This includes political accountability. I am grateful to the President of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada for their trust. But in this situation, I consider it correct to resign from the post of Prosecutor General," the statement reads.
Kostin recalled that President Zelensky held a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the "obviously immoral situation of fake disabilities of officials in state bodies." Currently, audits are ongoing at all levels of government, criminal cases are being investigated, in particular, "multiple shameful facts of abuse" have been recorded in the system of prosecutor's offices, the official added.
As reported, the President held a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council on the situation of medical and social expert commissions (MSEK) and abuses by officials of various state bodies in relation to a disability status.
The head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, following the NSDC meeting, announced that the agency, in cooperation with other law enforcement bodies, exposed large-scale corruption schemes in the said commissions. Thus, in 2024, according to SBU files, 64 commission officials were charged with crimes, and another nine were convicted.
On October 5, the State Bureau of Investigation detained and reported suspicion of illegal enrichment of the head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Center for Medical and Social Expertise. Before that, on October 3 and 4, the law enforcers conducted a series of raids at the offices and residences of the suspected official and her family.
Some $100,000 in cash found at her office, as well as a number of forged medical documents, lists of draft dodgers with names and fictitious diagnoses. At the residency of the official and her family, SBR operatives found almost $5.25 million, EUR 300,000, and over UAH 5 million in cash, as well as jewelry.
On October 15, the Censor.net outlet broke the news that almost all prosecutors in Khmelnytskyi region, 49, including the regional office chief, were registered as persons with disabilities (II degree), confirmed by the mentioned medical center, Tetiana Krupa. It turned out, they have been receiving government pensions, according to the decisions signed by Krupa’s son, Oleksandr, the chief of the local branch of the Pension Fund.
After that, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin commissioned an official investigation into the case.
On October 17, chief of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office Oleksiy Oliynyk resigned from his post.
Photo: Andriy Kostin / Facebook