Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalsky Takes helm amid corruption scandals
Anton Kovalsky was appointed acting prosecutor general of Ukraine on Sept. 17, inheriting a service rocked by investigations into a call-center protection racket and the flight of his predecessor Ruslan Kravchenko.
On Sept. 17, Anton Kovalsky assumed the role of acting prosecutor general of Ukraine, stepping into a ministry plagued by a high-profile corruption scandal involving an alleged call-center protection scheme run from the prosecutor’s office. His predecessor, Ruslan Kravchenko, left Ukraine on Sept. 14 after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau charged a close associate and hinted at further evidence against him. Kovalsky’s low-key reputation is seen as an asset; analysts note that Zelensky likely wants a figure without obvious red flags to avoid another investigation.
Nonetheless, anti-corruption activists have scrutinized Kovalsky’s personal wealth, his wife’s business earnings of Hr 5.2 million in 2023, and alleged connections to businessman Illia Pavliuk and former prosecutor Ihor Mustetsa. While the president has not announced a formal nomination, lawmakers warn that Kovalsky’s obscurity could hinder parliamentary approval, and other candidates such as Valeriy Prykhozhanov and Danylo Hetmantsev have been floated in the media.
Why it matters
The appointment could shape Ukraine's anti-corruption drive and influence the stability of its justice system.
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