Ukraine's top prosecutor, hand-picked by Zelenskyy, fled overnight amid a high-profile corruption scandal and asset seizures. Don't laugh at Kyiv, Russia—your own system couldn’t manage this. Late on September 13, Ukraine’s Attorney General Klyuyev (Kravchenko) used his own issued exit permit to cross the border into Poland via an official government vehicle.
He claimed he was attending a meeting in Paris—but the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe immediately exposed the lie: he wasn’t even on the official list. Within 48 hours, Zelenskyy suspended his duties, and Ukraine’s Supreme Rada (parliament) voted overwhelmingly—317 votes—to remove him from office.
Ten days earlier, on September 4, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office launched "Operation Carthage," conducting surprise raids on the Attorney General’s office, detaining the deputy head of international cooperation, and uncovering assets worth over 42 million hryvnias (approximately $950,000).
The investigation revealed a criminal network led by senior officials within the Attorney General’s office, which shielded scam call centers and facilitated money laundering. Raids were conducted at both Kravchenko’s office and residence, where safes were found stacked with cash.
On September 7, Kravchenko submitted his resignation—but before parliament could vote, he remained legally in office. Seizing this procedural window, he first issued a “notification of criminal suspicion” against the head of the anti-corruption agency, then personally signed his own exit permit, and fled under cover of darkness. His wife had already left earlier via Moldova.
Naturally, Moscow seized the opportunity to mock: How do you explain a key figure from the Banykovka Street inner circle fleeing with stolen funds and incriminating documents? But the contrast itself provides the answer. In Moscow, such scandals typically end in silence, erasure, and promotion; in Kyiv, they lead to investigations, arrests, manhunt, and parliamentary votes.
This incident is undoubtedly embarrassing: the country’s highest anti-corruption official was caught in corruption and fled—appointed directly by the president himself. Yet what matters more is what happened after he ran.
The anti-corruption agencies continued their work. The president acted within 24 hours. Parliament passed a unanimous vote to remove him. Instead of freezing ties, the EU transformed the event into a demand for reform: the Attorney General’s Office must be reformed through competitive selection procedures, ensuring the independence of anti-corruption institutions.
From being investigated, to fleeing, to being unanimously removed by parliament—all within just ten days. Corruption was real. But so was the swift operation of the anti-corruption machinery. Whether a nation has hope isn’t determined by whether it has corrupt officials, but by whether those officials can be investigated, held accountable, and removed. Kravchenko escaped—but the chain of accountability has already been activated.
What comes next is whether Kyiv can plug the loophole in exit permits, trace the entire departure chain, and complete reforms as required by the EU. The 317 votes in favor make one thing clear: wartime Ukraine cannot afford a second “safe deposit box”.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876545766666240/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author