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Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Prosecutorial head of Ukrainian legal system

The Prosecutor General of Ukraine heads the Office of the Prosecutor General, overseeing official prosecution in courts. Appointed by the president with consent from the Verkhovna Rada, the prosecutor serves a six-year term of office and can be removed by a vote of no confidence. Originating in 1917 after the collapse of the Russian Empire, the office evolved under socialist law within the Ukrainian SSR and was subordinated to the Soviet Prosecutor General until Ukraine's independence in 1991. Since then, it operates as an independent agency mandated by the 1996 Constitution of Ukraine, maintaining a key role in the country's legal system.

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Duties and powers

The prosecutor general is appointed to office by the president of Ukraine with the consent of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament).9 The prosecutor is dismissed from office after serving a six-year term, or on order of the president,10 or the prosecutor may be forced to resign following a vote of no confidence in the Verkhovna Rada.1112

The powers of the office (from January 201713) are to:

  • provide organization and leadership of pre-trial investigations;14
  • support public prosecution in the courts;15 and
  • represent the state's interest in the courts, according to the law.16

The prosecutor general submits an annual report to the Verkhovna Rada about the legal situation in the country.

The prosecutor general creates a collegiate council consisting of the prosecutor general, their first and other deputies, the prosecutor of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,17 and other leaders of prosecution agencies.

The prosecutor general office's General Inspectorate is an independent agency established[when?] to oversee the actions of the prosecutorial system.18 Its goals are to modernize the Soviet-era bureaucracy, to enhance inter-agency efficiency and international cooperation, and to fight corruption.19

Structure

As of 21 December 201920

  • Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
  • Prosecutor's Office of Cherkasy Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Chernihiv Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Chernivtsi Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Donetsk Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Kherson Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Khmelnytskyi Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Kirovohrad Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Kyiv City
  • Prosecutor's Office of Kyiv Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Luhansk Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Lviv Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Odesa Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Poltava Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Rivne Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Sumy Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Ternopil Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Vinnytsia Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Volyn Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Zakarpattia Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Zaporizhia Oblast
  • Prosecutor's Office of Zhytomyr Oblast
  • Military Prosecutor's Office of Joint Forces
  • Military Prosecutor's Office of Ukrainian Central Region
  • Military Prosecutor's Office of Ukrainian Southern Region
  • Military Prosecutor's Office of Ukrainian Western Region
  • National Academy of Prosecution of Ukraine

Separate organizations

Leadership

  • Prosecutor General – Iryna Venediktova (17 March 2020)
  • Deputy Prosecutor General – Viktor Trepak (8 October 2019)
  • Deputy Prosecutor General – Günduz Mamedov (18 October 2019)
  • Deputy Prosecutor General—Director of Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office – Nazar Kholodnytskyi (30 November 2015)

History

Early period

The post of Prosecutor General of Ukraine was first established in 1917, following the dissolution of the Russian Empire. When the Ukrainian People's Republic was formed – after Ukraine declared its independence from the Russian Republic due to the Bolshevik's aggression – the post was held by the minister of justice.21

No.Term22Name
11917–1918Dmytro Markovych
2Serhiy Shelukhin
3Mykhailo Chubynskyi
4Oleksiy Romanov
5Andriy Viazlov
6Viktor Reinbot

Soviet period

After the occupation of Ukraine by Bolsheviks in June 1922, the Prosecutor's Office of the Ukrainian SSR was established.2324 The prosecutor general was appointed by the Ukrainian government and remained merged with the minister of justice until the 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union came into force, at which point the republican prosecution office of Ukraine was subordinated to the prosecutor general of the USSR.

No.Term25NameOfficial title
11922–1927Mykola SkrypnykProcurator General
21927–1930Vasyl PoraikoProcurator General
31930–1933Vasiliy PolyakovProcurator General
41933–1935Mikhail MikhailikProcurator General
51935–1936Arkadiy KiselyovProcurator General
61936Grigoriy ZhelyeznogorskiyProcurator General
71938–1944Leonid YacheninProcurator
81944–1953Roman RudenkoProcurator
91953–1963Denys PanasyukProcurator
101963–1983Fedir HlukhProcurator
111983–1990Petro OsypenkoProcurator

Post-Soviet period

Following Ukrainian independence in 1991, the prosecutor general wielded considerable power26 as a legacy of the Soviet Union state prosecutor's office.27 Many of the office's functions were expanded in 1991,28 but in 2016 the powers of the office were decreased and limited.29

Prior to January 2017, the term of authority of the prosecutor was five years.30 Since January 2017 this was increased to six years.31 This list below shows prosecutors of independent Ukraine. In the absence of the prosecutor general, the office is headed by their first deputy as the acting prosecutor general.

No.Prosecutor General of UkraineName
14 Sep 1991 – 21 Oct 1993Viktor Shyshkin [uk]
221 Oct 1993 – 19 Oct 1995Vladyslav Datsiuk
319 Oct 1995 – 22 Jul 1997Hryhoriy Vorsinov
act22 Jul 1997 – 24 Apr 1998Oleh Lytvak
act24 Apr – 17 Jul 1998Bohdan Ferents
417 Jul 1998 – 30 May 2002Mykhailo Potebenko
30 May 30 – 6 Jul 2002unknown
56 Jul 2002 – 29 Oct 2003Sviatoslav Piskun
29 Oct – 8 Nov 2003unknown
68 Nov 2003 – 9 Dec 2004Hennadiy Vasylyev
710 Dec 2004 – 14 Oct 2005Sviatoslav Piskun
14 Oct – 4 Nov 2005unknown
84 Nov 2005 – 26 Apr 2007Oleksandr Medvedko
926 Apr – 24 May 2007Sviatoslav Piskun
act24 May – 1 Jun 2007Viktor Shemchuk
101 Jun 2007 – 3 Nov 2010Oleksandr Medvedko
114 Nov 2010 – 22 Feb 2014Viktor Pshonka
comm22–24 Feb 2014Oleh Makhnitsky32
act24 Feb33 – 18 Jun 201434Oleh Makhnitsky(1)
1219 Jun 201435 – 11 Feb 2015Vitaly Yarema
1311 Feb 201536 – 29 Mar 201637(2)Viktor Shokin
act29 Mar(3) – 12 May 2016Yuriy Sevruk
1412 May 2016 – 29 Aug 201938Yuriy Lutsenko
1529 Aug 2019 – 5 Mar 202039Ruslan Riaboshapka
act6–17 Mar 2020Viktor Chumak
1617 Mar 2020 – 17 Jul 2022Iryna Venediktova40
act17–27 Jul 2022Oleksiy Symonenko41
1727 Jul 2022 - 31 October 20244243Andriy Kostin44
act31 October 2024 – 17 June 2025Oleksiy Khomenko45
1817 June 2025 – presentRuslan Kravchenko46
Legend:
  • act – acting
  • comm – parliamentary commissioner

Notes:

  • ^1 Makhnitskyi served as acting prosecutor by being appointed by the acting president of Ukraine. Makhnitskyi is also the only head of the office in the post-Soviet Ukraine who served as a parliamentary commissioner.
  • ^2 Shokin was set to be formally dismissed since 16 February 20164748 after submitting a letter of resignation and taking a vacation.49 On 16 March Shokin returned to his duties as if he never submitted any letters of resignation.50 He was formally dismissed in a parliamentary vote on 29 March 2016.51
  • ^3 Yuriy Sevruk served as acting prosecutor, being the first deputy general prosecutor until the official appointment of a new Prosecutor General.52

See also

Notes

References

  1. Chief prosecutor Shokin back to work – source, Interfax-Ukraine (16 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/331035.html ↩

  2. "Закон про Вищу раду правосуддя запрацював" [The law on the High Council of Justice has come into force]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 5 January 2016. http://pda.pravda.com.ua/news/id_7131679/ ↩

  3. Chief prosecutor Shokin back to work – source, Interfax-Ukraine (16 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/331035.html ↩

  4. "ГЕНЕРАЛЬНИЙ ПРОКУРОР УКРАЇНИ" [Prosecutor General of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 January 2023. https://cyclop.com.ua/content/view/1016/58/1/8/#7635 ↩

  5. "ГЕНЕРАЛЬНИЙ ПРОКУРОР УКРАЇНИ" [Prosecutor General of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 January 2023. https://cyclop.com.ua/content/view/1016/58/1/8/#7635 ↩

  6. "ГЕНЕРАЛЬНИЙ ПРОКУРОР УКРАЇНИ" [Prosecutor General of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 January 2023. https://cyclop.com.ua/content/view/1016/58/1/8/#7635 ↩

  7. "ГЕНЕРАЛЬНИЙ ПРОКУРОР УКРАЇНИ" [Prosecutor General of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 January 2023. https://cyclop.com.ua/content/view/1016/58/1/8/#7635 ↩

  8. "ГЕНЕРАЛЬНИЙ ПРОКУРОР УКРАЇНИ" [Prosecutor General of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 8 January 2023. https://cyclop.com.ua/content/view/1016/58/1/8/#7635 ↩

  9. Z"Chief prosecutor Shokin on leave – PGO". Interfax-Ukraine. 17 February 2016. http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/325308.html ↩

  10. Z"Chief prosecutor Shokin on leave – PGO". Interfax-Ukraine. 17 February 2016. http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/325308.html ↩

  11. Chief prosecutor Shokin back to work – source, Interfax-Ukraine (16 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/331035.html ↩

  12. Z"Chief prosecutor Shokin on leave – PGO". Interfax-Ukraine. 17 February 2016. http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/325308.html ↩

  13. "Закон про Вищу раду правосуддя запрацював" [The law on the High Council of Justice has come into force]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 5 January 2016. http://pda.pravda.com.ua/news/id_7131679/ ↩

  14. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  15. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  16. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  17. Since the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the status of the Crimea and of the city of Sevastopol is under dispute between Russia and Ukraine; Ukraine and the majority of the international community considers the Crimea and Sevastopol an integral part of Ukraine, while Russia, on the other hand, considers the Crimea and Sevastopol an integral part of Russia, with Sevastopol functioning as a federal city within the Crimean Federal District.[6][7][8] /wiki/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation ↩

  18. "U.S. prosecutor tasked with selecting officers to oversee prosecutors' actions". UNIAN. 9 August 2016. https://www.unian.info/politics/1459096-us-prosecutor-tasked-with-selecting-officers-to-oversee-prosecutors-actions.html ↩

  19. "U.S. prosecutor tasked with selecting officers to oversee prosecutors' actions". UNIAN. 9 August 2016. https://www.unian.info/politics/1459096-us-prosecutor-tasked-with-selecting-officers-to-oversee-prosecutors-actions.html ↩

  20. СТРУКТУРА Офісу Генерального прокурора (затверджено наказом Генерального прокурора від 21.12.2019 №99-шц. Prosecutor General Office of Ukraine https://web.archive.org/web/20200328164020/https://old.gp.gov.ua/ua/structure_pu.html ↩

  21. "Історія прокуратури України" [History of the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine]. Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Region (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195010/https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/dovmat.html?_m=publications&_t=rec&id=126087 ↩

  22. "Історія прокуратури України" [History of the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine]. Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Region (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195010/https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/dovmat.html?_m=publications&_t=rec&id=126087 ↩

  23. "Історія прокуратури України" [History of the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine]. Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Region (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195010/https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/dovmat.html?_m=publications&_t=rec&id=126087 ↩

  24. Hlukh, Fedir. "ПРОКУРАТУРА УРСР" [The Prosecutor's Office of the Ukrainian SSR]. Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia (in Ukrainian). /wiki/Fedir_Hlukh ↩

  25. "Історія прокуратури України" [History of the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine]. Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv Region (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195010/https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/dovmat.html?_m=publications&_t=rec&id=126087 ↩

  26. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  27. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  28. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  29. "Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine passed: Ukraine takes a major step towards a European System of Justice]". Lexology. 9 June 2016. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=212fa5f8-4f4b-4b4d-9d5a-693579e0c95e ↩

  30. "Закон про Вищу раду правосуддя запрацював" [The law on the High Council of Justice has come into force]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 5 January 2016. http://pda.pravda.com.ua/news/id_7131679/ ↩

  31. "Закон про Вищу раду правосуддя запрацював" [The law on the High Council of Justice has come into force]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 5 January 2016. http://pda.pravda.com.ua/news/id_7131679/ ↩

  32. On appointment of Makhnitsky O.I. the Commissioner to monitor the activities of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. RESOLUTION of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine № 760-VII. February 22, 2014 http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/760-18 ↩

  33. On appointment of O.Makhnitsky as acting General Prosecutor of Ukraine. DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE № 91/2014. February 24, 2014 http://www.president.gov.ua/documents/16476.html ↩

  34. Ukrainian president dismisses Makhnitsky as acting prosecutor general, Interfax-Ukraine (18 June 2014) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/209973.html ↩

  35. MPs agree to Yarema's appointment as prosecutor general, Interfax-Ukraine (19 June 2014) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/210045.html ↩

  36. Ukrainian parliament backs nomination of Shokin as prosecutor general, Interfax-Ukraine (10 February 2015) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/249709.html ↩

  37. Rada agreed to dismiss Shokin. Ukrayinska Pravda. 29 March 2016 http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/29/7103655/ ↩

  38. The new Attorney General was a former NAPC member, Ukrayinska Pravda (29 August 2019) https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224824/ ↩

  39. The new Attorney General was a former NAPC member, Ukrayinska Pravda (29 August 2019) https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2019/08/29/7224824/ ↩

  40. Ukrainian Investigative Director Who Clashed With Activists Approved As Prosecutor-General, Radio Free Europe (March 17, 2020) https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-lawmakers-approve-country-s-first-female-prosecutor-general/30492596.html ↩

  41. "Указ Президента України No 501/2022 – Про покладення виконання обов'язків Генерального прокурора'" [Presidential decree No. 501/2022 – On taking over the duties of the Prosecutor General]. Office of the President of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 17 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022. https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/5012022-43329 ↩

  42. "Ukraine's prosecutor general resigns amid draft-dodging scandal". Reuters. 22 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-prosecutor-general-andriy-kostin-resigns-amid-draft-dodging-scandal-2024-10-22/ ↩

  43. "Ukrainian parliament approves resignation of Prosecutor General Kostin". The Kyiv Independent. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2024. https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-parliament-approves-resignation-of-prosecutor-general-kostin/ ↩

  44. Sukhov, Oleg (27 July 2022). "Andriy Kostin appointed prosecutor general. Here's what we know about him". The Kyiv Independent. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022. https://kyivindependent.com/politics/parliament-appoints-mp-andriy-kostin-as-prosecutor-general ↩

  45. "Kostin's replacement: what is known about the First Deputy Prosecutor General (photo)". Komersant ukrainskyi. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025. https://www.komersant.info/en/mozhe-zaminyty-kostina-shcho-vidomo-pro-pershoho-zastupnyka-henprokurora-foto-2/ ↩

  46. "Рада призначила вже четвертого генпрокурора Зеленського. Що відомо про Руслана Кравченка". BBC News, Україна. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cz7074rg2n0o ↩

  47. Chief prosecutor Shokin back to work – source, Interfax-Ukraine (16 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/331035.html ↩

  48. Profile committee recommends parliament back prosecutor general's resignation, Interfax-Ukraine (16 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/331171.html ↩

  49. The Prosecutor General Office: Shokin wrote a resignation letter, but at this time he is on vacations. Ukrayinska Pravda. 29 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160329224910/http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/02/29/7100690/ ↩

  50. The office of Prosecutor General explained who will be an acting Prosecutor General. Ukrayinska Pravda. 29 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160329224256/http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/29/7103736/ ↩

  51. Rada agrees to dismiss Ukrainian Prosecutor General Shokin, Interfax-Ukraine (29 March 2016) http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/333889.html ↩

  52. The office of Prosecutor General explained who will be an acting Prosecutor General. Ukrayinska Pravda. 29 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160329224256/http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2016/03/29/7103736/ ↩