Oleksandr Vasylovych Klymenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Васильович Клименко; born in September 1986) is a Ukrainian detective and lawyer. He has been head of the Ukrainian Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) since 28 July 2022.[3] Klymenko worked for five years at the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), participating in investigations including those of Roman Nasirov and Oleksandr Onyshchenko.[4] He was announced on 19 July 2022 as the winner of the head of SAPO competition, held in 2021,[4][5] prior to his appointment to the position.[3]
Oleksandr Klymenko | |
|---|---|
| Олександр Клименко | |
 Kymenko in July 2022 | |
| Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office | |
| Assumed office 28 July 2022 | |
| Appointed by | Prosecutor General of Ukraine |
| President | Volodymyr Zelensky |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1986 (age 38)[1] Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union[2] |
| Citizenship | Ukrainian |
| Alma mater | Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University |
| Occupation | detective |
| Profession | lawyer |
Early life and education
editOleksandr Klymenko was born in the historical region of Slobozhanshchyna in September 1986.[6]
He obtained a law degree at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University.[7]
Detective
editIn 2010, Klymenko started working as an investigator in security organisations. In 2015, he was a senior investigator of property theft, working in the National Police of Ukraine.[7]
Klymenko started work as a detective at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU)[8] in March 2016. He was promoted to senior detective in 2017, and in November 2017 became head of department.[7] At NABU, Klymenko participated in investigations against Oleh Tatarov, Roman Nasirov, Oleksandr Onyshchenko and Oleh Hladkovskyi.[4][7]
Head of SAPO
editCompetition
editIn 2021, a commission interviewed candidates for the head of the Ukrainian Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). Klymenko was supported unanimously by the commission following interviews on 3 June 2021, qualifying him for the second stage of the selection procedure.[9][10] As of 28 July, along with Andrii Syniuk, who was also qualified in the first stage, Klymenko passed a "public integrity check". Klymenko received 212 points, Syniuk 195; no other candidates continued to qualify. Two stages of the competition remained to decide if Klymenko or Syniuk qualified as the head and deputy head of SAPO.[8]
At its 10-hour long 21 December 2021 meeting, the commission awarded 246 points to Klymenko and 229 to Syniuk, without making a formal decision to select the competition winner.[11] Among the 10-member commission, the five members who were Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) members technically abstained, stating that Klymenko had not yet received security clearance for accessing classified material. The international members of the commission criticised the delay in approving Klymenko and Syniuk.[12] The commission met on 24 December and again did not declare the winner of the competition.[13]
Appointment
editOn 19 July 2022, the commission formally voted Klymenko as the winner of the competition.[4] The Prosecutor General of Ukraine was required to appoint Klymenko as head of SAPO within three days of the announcement.[5] On 28 July 2022, the newly elected Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, formally appointed Klymenko as head of SAPO.[3]
Independence
editIn December 2021, Concorde Capital described Klymenko as having "proved his independence from Ukraine's power brokers".[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Новий голова САП. Головні факти про Олександра Клименка". nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ "Новий голова САП. Головні факти про Олександра Клименка". nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ a b c "Oleksandr Klymenko appointed as Head of SAPO". Ukrinform. 2022-07-28. Archived from the original on 2022-07-28. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
- ^ a b c d "Detective Klymenko wins SAPO competition: the commission has approved the winner, but there are nuances". Transparency International. 2022-07-19. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ a b Sorokin, Oleksiy (2022-07-19). "Selection panel declares winner set to lead Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office". The Kyiv Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ "Новий голова САП. Головні факти про Олександра Клименка". nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ a b c d Beecher, Jay (2022-07-19). "Oleksandr Klymenko to Become New Head of Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ a b "Election of SAPO Head at the Finish Line: What to Expect?". Transparency International. 2021-07-28. Archived from the original on 2022-04-17. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ Rizhenko, Kateryna (2021-06-04). "First One Passes. Another Day of Interviews for SAPO Head". Transparency International. Archived from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ Shcherban, Olena; Ivasyuk, Khrystyna (2021-06-15). "Dependable KDAC: how PO wants to use Vovk's services in order to have "their" person on the position of the head of the SAPO". Anti-Corruption Action Center. Archived from the original on 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ a b "Ukraine fails to elect anti-corruption prosecutor". Concorde Capital. 2021-12-22. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Ukrainian anti-graft agency's chief not elected after commission abstentions". New Voice of Ukraine. 2021-12-21. Archived from the original on 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Prosecutor General's Office illegally re-launched vetting of "their" candidate for the position of the head of the SAPO". Anti-Corruption Action Center. 2021-12-29. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-07-20.