Statement by the RRR4U Consortium on the Case of Volodymyr Kudrytskyi

The opening of a criminal investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation against Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, former CEO of PJSC “National Power Company “Ukrenergo” (2020–2024), and the preventive measures applied to him have caused significant public concern in Ukraine and within political circles abroad.

We are not a party to the criminal proceedings, do not possess the full body of materials of the pre-trial investigation, and therefore, in accordance with the law, cannot assess the legality, justification, or appropriateness of specific procedural actions in this case.

At the same time, we find it necessary to emphasize several fundamental points.

We call on all state authorities to ensure that any investigations involving professionals in the public sector are conducted with the utmost impartiality, objectivity, and political neutrality. The use of criminal proceedings as an instrument of political pressure or retribution would cause critical harm to state interests since it:

• undermines the trust of international financial institutions and partners, potentially affecting their willingness to provide financial and military support to Ukraine during the ongoing full-scale war;
• complicates Ukraine’s progress in EU accession negotiations, where the rule of law and institutional independence are key (as demonstrated by previous controversies around the status of NABU and SAPO);
• discourages highly qualified professionals from joining the civil service or managing state-owned assets — at the time when Ukraine acutely needs human capital and competent governance.

Politically motivated actions against public sector professionals in any country, especially in one enduring the extraordinary challenges of war, are a blow to statehood, not an expression of justice.

We urge all government and law enforcement bodies to act strictly within the law, upholding the principles of the presumption of innocence and institutional independence. Any signs of selective justice must be categorically ruled out and are unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law.

To strengthen the resilience of the legal system and bolster international trust, we stress the urgent need to adopt key legislative reforms aimed at deep and effective transformation of Ukraine’s judiciary and law enforcement institutions.

Ukraine needs an independent and effective system of justice and law enforcement, which earns the trust of both its citizens and international partners.

Signatories:

Center for Economic Strategy
Institute for Analytics and Advocacy
Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER)
DiXi Group

*RRR4U (Resilience, Reconstruction and Relief for Ukraine) is a consortium of four Ukrainian analytical organizations: DiXi Group, Institute for Analytics and Advocacy, Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, and Center for Economic Strategy.

RRR4U publishes monthly and quarterly reports on Ukraine’s progress in meeting the conditions of key EU and IMF financial assistance programs. All reports are available here.