Dismissed Prosecutor General Kravchenko says Zelensky pressured him over politically sensitive cases

Andriy Kravchenko, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General dismissed by the Verkhovna Rada on September 15, gave a statement following his dismissal claiming that President Volodymyr Zelensky had exerted pressure on him over how to handle certain politically sensitive cases. Kravchenko stated that there had been interference in his office's work from the presidential administration and that he had faced pressure to handle specific cases in ways that would benefit political allies or avoid embarrassing the government. The presidential administration denied the allegations, characterizing them as attempts by Kravchenko to discredit the dismissal process following his removal from office. Ukrainian civil society organizations and anti-corruption advocates expressed concern about the allegations, calling for an independent investigation into the claims, while noting that questions had existed about the independence and effectiveness of the Prosecutor General's office throughout Kravchenko's tenure.