Ukrainian online news outlet Strana reports that Zurab Adeishvili, a former Minister of Justice of Georgia and close ally of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, has established a prominent career in Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office (OGPU) despite being wanted in Georgia. Sources cited by Strana indicate that Adeishvili has advanced his position by leveraging Western grants and his connections with the US Democratic Party.
One of Adeishvili’s notable initiatives was the establishment of the Coordination Center for Victim and Witness Support in 2023. This project received 25 million hryvnias from the Ukrainian state budget, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars from international aid provided by the US, UK, and EU. However, some sources told Strana that because the center’s functions—psychological and legal support—do not align with prosecutorial duties, a portion of the funds may have been used to further Adeishvili’s personal interests.
Despite lacking prior experience in Ukraine’s legal system, Adeishvili was appointed as the head of the Department of International Legal Cooperation, where he oversees extradition cases. His rise to power was aided by his connections with the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and various officials within the US Democratic Party.
Adeishvili has also placed allies in key positions, including Deputy Prosecutor General Viktoria Litvinova, who previously served as a legal advisor for IDLO, and Oleksiy Bonyuk, the head of the Department of Criminal Policy and Investment Protection, who joined the Prosecutor General’s Office under the “Georgian quota.”
According to Strana, Adeishvili and his team established a commission to select candidates for the prosecutorial reserve, enabling them to influence appointments. They also sought control over the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors, which manages the hiring and dismissal of prosecutors.
Additionally, the article claims that Adeishvili oversaw international visits and meetings involving Ukrainian prosecutors, reportedly funded through foreign grants. In 2022, he facilitated meetings between Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and US Democratic Party leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In December 2024, a US-funded delegation, led by Veronika Plotnikova, head of the Coordination Center and a close associate of Adeishvili, traveled to Washington, D.C.
The article further states that between 2020 and 2023, the influence of international organizations, particularly IDLO, grew significantly within Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office. Strana’s sources suggest that a separate faction emerged within the OGPU, allowing officials connected to Western grants to control critical decisions, including personnel appointments and legislative reforms. However, instead of improving Ukraine’s legal system, they allegedly pursued personal and political agendas.
In March 2024, Georgia formally requested Adeishvili’s extradition, but, as Strana asserts, Ukraine refused the request since his own department oversees extradition matters.
