Zelensky appoints Anton Kovalsky as acting Prosecutor General
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on September 17 assigning Anton Kovalsky, formerly head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office, to act as Prosecutor General. Kovalsky announced his immediate priorities, ordered a freeze on personnel decisions pending an audit of the past year's appointments, and pledged professional cooperation with Ukraine's main anti-corruption bodies against the backdrop of the NABU/SAP "Carthage" investigation.
Key points
- Zelensky signed the decree assigning Kovalsky on September 17, 2026
- Kovalsky previously headed the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office
- Kovalsky ordered heads of prosecutor's offices to refrain from personnel decisions pending an audit of appointments made over the past year
- He pledged to complete personnel procedures linked to the NABU/SAP "Carthage" investigation
- Kovalsky said he will interact with NABU and SAP "professionally and within the law"
- He stated that the Office of the Prosecutor General and regional offices continue to operate without interruption
- Zelensky had announced inspections of all heads of central executive authorities on September 16, the day before the decree
Why it matters
The Prosecutor General leads Ukraine's prosecutorial system during wartime, with direct bearing on anti-corruption and rule-of-law efforts. The appointment comes as NABU and SAP — Ukraine's main anti-corruption bodies — investigate alleged corruption inside the Office of the Prosecutor General under the "Carthage" operation, making leadership and personnel decisions at the institution particularly sensitive. Kovalsky's immediate steps — freezing personnel decisions and auditing the past year of appointments — signal a reset at the top of the OPG. His stated intent to engage "professionally and within the law" with NABU and SAP will shape how the OPG cooperates with the country's anti-corruption infrastructure going forward.
What happened
On September 17, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree assigning Anton Kovalsky, previously head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office, to act as Prosecutor General. Kovalsky publicly confirmed the appointment the same day via Facebook and outlined an initial set of priorities and orders for the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG). He stated that the OPG and regional prosecutor's offices continue to operate without interruption and that the leadership change does not affect that continuity. He named organizing the work of the OPG and regional offices and ensuring results as his immediate priority, and said he plans to hold working meetings with heads of key divisions to review problematic areas, high-profile proceedings and personnel matters. Kovalsky ordered heads of prosecutor's offices to refrain from personnel decisions under the transitional provisions of the Law on the Prosecutor's Office, and announced that an audit of all personnel appointments made over the past year will be conducted in the OPG. He said he intends to complete service and personnel procedures initiated against prosecutors in connection with the "Carthage" investigation, and pledged that no one will be accused until guilt is established in the manner prescribed by law. Kovalsky also said the OPG will interact with NABU (the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) and SAP (the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office) "professionally and within the law," and ordered a strengthened response not only to economic crime but also to general criminality and offences affecting citizens' safety.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both supplied sources are Ukrainian-language media (Ukrainska Pravda and LIGA.net) reporting on Kovalsky's own statements and orders. Their coverage centers on continuity of operations at the OPG and on Kovalsky's stated priorities, presenting the appointment as a managed transition that preserves institutional functioning while signaling discipline and accountability at the top of the prosecutor's office.
Background
The NABU and SAP "Carthage" case concerns an alleged criminal organization in the Office of the Prosecutor General whose members are suspected of receiving bribes for not obstructing fraudulent call centers and laundering proceeds. On September 16, 2026, the day before the decree, Zelensky announced inspections of all heads of central executive authorities.