Former Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Olga Kolinko, known for a number of high-profile political cases, was found dead in her own apartment in Kyiv. The body of her daughter Yaroslava was found in a neighbouring apartment, Zerkalo Nedeli publication said citing sources at law enforcement agencies.
Olga Kolinko was 71. Her daughter Yaroslava, who was found dead in an apartment next door, was taking care of her mother as she was unable to go outside.
Olga Kolinko served as Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine twice — from 1993 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2005. During the presidency of Leonid Kuchma, she headed the committee to combat organised crime and corruption and led a number of high-profile cases.
Kolinko received a lot of public attention in Ukraine in connection with the case of former Prosecutor General Svyatoslav Piskun.
She accused him of commercial activities during his tenure, although she noted that she had no personal conflict with him. After being appointed head of the Coordination Committee for Combating Organised Crime under the President of Ukraine, Piskun spoke negatively about her in the media.
In 2003, after a number of accusations, the prosecutor general was removed from office. Kolinko stated that her family received threats.
In 2005, Piskun returned to his duties; an internal audit did not reveal any power abuse in his actions. He then fired Olga Kolinko from the position of his deputy due to staff reductions.
Olga Kolinko thus never took office as the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Olga Kolinko's 85-year-old father, Mikhail Chobotko, was killed in 2008. His body was found in a house on the outskirts of Berezan.
The attacker also killed the man's dog. Mikhail Chobotko's body was found in a well in the yard of the house.