The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has launched criminal proceedings into the recordings of telephone conversations of Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Kateryna Rozhkova with shareholders, Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Nazar Kholodnytsky has said.

"The criminal case was registered on Friday. I confirm the words of the NABU director..." he told journalists in Kyiv on Wednesday.

When asked to explain, Kholodnytsky said the proceedings were based on Rozhkova's 'tapes'.

As reported, on February 10, NABU Director Artem Sytnyk said the Bureau will register next week the proceedings into the possible abuses by officials of the NBU and the Individuals Deposits Guarantee Fund, in particular based on the disclosed recordings of negotiations with NBU Deputy Head Rozhkova.

The NABU started a pretrial investigation against Head of the National Bank of Ukraine Valeriya Gontareva and Head of the Individuals Deposit Guarantee Fund Kostiantyn Vorushylin. The pretrial investigation was launched into a criminal offense under Part 3 of Article 365-2 (abuse of powers by authorized persons providing public services) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.