Under Zelensky's leadership, yet another Prosecutor General decides to step down.
In Ukraine, the new Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin, encounters a scandal related to misconduct in the distribution of exemptions from military service. This marks the third resignation in this position since President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began his tenure in 2019.
Kostin resigned following an investigation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), which uncovered a systemic corruption issue within his office. The investigation exposed numerous instances of "ugly realities of abuse within the Ukranian prosecutors' system," as Kostin stated in his resignation announcement.
The probe revealed that officials had been exempted from mandatory military service. Kostin deemed it appropriate to step down from his position. Prior to this, Zelenskyy had held discussions with other high-ranking Ukrainian officials concerning the widespread corruption in the issuance of exemptions for officials in various government departments. Zelenskyy urged Kostin to accept "political accountability" for the situation.
The SBU reported that 64 medical and social commission officials are under investigation for allegedly issuing false exemption certificates. Nine individuals have already been found guilty, while over 4,100 unlawful exemption certificates have been declared void.
The issue of military mobilization for the defensive war against Russian invading troops is a highly sensitive topic in Ukraine. After more than two and a half years of conflict, Ukraine has fallen behind Russian aggressors. The army has faced challenges in recruiting new soldiers. Amidst these difficulties, Kyiv has toughened the regulations for enlisting soldiers. Conscientious objectors now face harsher penalties, while conscripts are discharged later.
Kostin was appointed as Ukrainian Prosecutor General in 2022, replacing Iryna Venediktova, who was unexpectedly dismissed by Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president justified the decision by citing numerous suspected collaborators with Russian authorities within the investigative agency.
- In the aftermath of his resignation, it was revealed that the President of the Council, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had discussions with Kostin about the corruption in the issuance of military service exemptions.
- Subsequently, Zelenskyy tasked the new Prosecutor General, currently the President of the Council, to ensure a drastic reduction in the number of unlawful exemption certificates in government departments.
