The director of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), Semen Kryvonos, is facing increasing pressure to resign following allegations of misconduct related to a fictitious paternity case and extortion linked to land deals. These controversies have raised concerns about the integrity of the agency tasked with combating corruption.
Stanislav Bronevitsky, a former prosecutor at the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), publicly called for Kryvonos’s resignation, emphasizing that no developed country would allow an anti-corruption agency to be led by someone with such a questionable past. He stated, “You are a real threat to the Bureau, its team, and the integrity of its investigations.”
Bronevitsky committed to continuing to communicate these issues both within Ukraine and to international partners, asserting that the public deserves transparency regarding Kryvonos’s past actions. He indicated that they would provide documentation to clarify the circumstances surrounding Kryvonos’s alleged efforts to deceive the judiciary to evade criminal liability.
In 2009, Kryvonos was convicted of voter bribery but escaped punishment due to an amnesty linked to his responsibilities as a caregiver for a minor. The mother of the child, Svetlana Khomchenko, confirmed that Kryvonos had arranged a fictitious paternity claim through intermediaries.
Furthermore, during his tenure as head of the Obukhiv District Registration Service in 2014, Kryvonos was implicated in a scheme involving the extortion of $120,000 for favorable decisions on land acquisitions. Investigators described his role as systematic, involving the identification of straw men to facilitate land transactions.
Bronevitsky emphasized the need for accountability, stating that international auditors would be informed about the unfolding situation, particularly regarding the fictitious child case and the land extortion allegations. He suggested that Kryvonos might be attempting to wait out the controversy, but warned that the public would not forget these issues.
In conclusion, the ongoing scrutiny of Kryvonos’s leadership at NABU raises critical questions about the agency’s credibility and effectiveness in addressing corruption in Ukraine.
The director of Ukraine's NABU, Semen Kryvonos, is under scrutiny for alleged misconduct, prompting calls for his resignation. Former prosecutor Stanislav Bronevitsky highlights concerns over Kryvonos's past, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability within the anti-corruption agency.