The timing was surgical. As security services arrested their own officials for taking $300,000 bribes from draft dodgers, Ukraine’s parliament voted to gut the very agencies designed to catch such corruption.
On 22 July 2025, lawmakers passed Bill No. 12414 by 263 votes, effectively ending a decade of post-Euromaidan anti-corruption reforms. The legislation transfers control of corruption investigations from independent agencies—NABU and SAPO—to the politically appointed Prosecutor General.
The vote came one day after authorities conducted over 70 searches against NABU employees, citing alleged Russian intelligence links that critics say provided convenient cover for the institutional demolition.
This matters because Ukraine built these institutions specifically to investigate officials close to the presidency—the very people now beyond reach. NABU had been investigating Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov in land schemes, defense sector corruption, and cases involving Zelenskyy associates. With the Prosecutor General—who reports directly to presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak—now controlling all corruption cases, those investigations effectively end.
Western partners have expressed concern, with G7 ambassadors planning to raise the issue with Ukrainian officials. EU financial support depends on democratic governance progress—progress that this law reverses. The European Commission’s Ukraine Facility and IMF loans were conditioned on maintaining independent anti-corruption institutions that no longer exist in any meaningful form.
For Daria Kaleniuk, this represents more than institutional rollback. The executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, who helped design these agencies after Euromaidan, calls it Ukraine’s “Yanukovych moment”—a return to the system of untouchables that sparked the 2014 revolution.
In an exclusive interview with Euromaidan Press, she warns that Zelenskyy is creating the very conditions Putin uses to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Political control over anti-corruption institutions
Euromaidan Press: Ukraine’s Parliament just passed a law putting all corruption investigations under one politically appointed prosecutor. Ukrainian activists like you are calling this a return to Yanukovych times. What does that comparison mean?
Daria Kaleniuk: It means that Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko will control all investigations against top officials in the country. He will have access to all cases of the independent agencies NABU and SAPO.
He will be able to stop these cases, give orders on how to investigate or not investigate, change prosecutors, and take cases outside of NABU to give them to other agencies.
So it returns complete control to the prosecutor general, who is 100% loyal to the president, over justice in Ukraine. This is exactly what we were trying to move away from since the Revolution of Dignity.
During the Yanukovych period, he had a prosecutor general named Viktor Pshonka who safeguarded businesses and monopolies for Yanukovych and his associates. There was the so-called “family”—close family and friends of Yanukovych who controlled the most lucrative businesses in the country. No one could investigate them because the prosecutor general made sure they were untouchable.
We are coming back to the era of untouchables in Ukraine.
If you are loyal to Zelenskyy, you will be untouchable and have access to lucrative contracts, especially in the defense sector where most Ukrainian taxpayer money is spent. You can steal, commit fraud, produce bad equipment, not deliver on time – and there will be no justice.
This is the Yanukovych moment for Zelenskyy.
This is what Ukraine is fighting against
What does this mean for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations?
It’s horrible. We’ve been reporting developments in NABU and SAPO to international partners for 10 years. This is our progress toward building good governance and the rule of law, getting closer to the EU.
More than 90% of Ukrainians now support EU aspirations. All those EU accession developments, money granted through the Ukraine Facility in exchange for reforms, IMF loans – they are in big danger because the fundamentals on which these programs were built are being destroyed by Zelenskyy and his associates to protect family members and close businesses from investigation.
Simultaneously, there’s a huge crackdown on watchdog organizations. There were these absurd charges against Vitaly Shabunin [-her colleague-], claiming he served in the army inappropriately. We expect more charges against Vitaly to silence him.
Zelenskyy and Yermak want to silence us. They will try to develop criminal charges like state treason. Basically, you are a state traitor in Ukraine when you’re saying the truth.
This is not what the Ukrainian people are fighting against Russian aggression for. This is actually what we are fighting against, because Russia wants to suppress freedom of speech, independent thinking, and criticism of authorities.
Ukraine is not Russia. Ukraine is not Belarus. And Ukraine will not follow Georgia’s scenario.
Democracy is very deep in the veins of the Ukrainian people. All those fallen heroes were fighting for a completely different Ukraine than Zelenskyy is now trying to build – where there is freedom, dignity, and justice with the rule of law.
When Zelenskyy silences independent media and watchdog organizations, he is crossing many red lines inside Ukrainian society, which could lead to a very dangerous explosion. To prevent this, Zelenskyy must stop this law.
If he signed it, he has to withdraw his signature.
All those who invented this attack on anti-corruption bodies are either intentionally or unintentionally helping the Kremlin win this war from inside Ukraine.
Start of their end
You’ve been doing this work since 2012 through three different presidents. What’s the common pattern when leaders try to capture such institutions? How does this moment feel different?
It is the start of their end. Agony.
It’s complicated in Zelenskyy’s case because we’re simultaneously fighting a large-scale war. If there were no war, Zelenskyy and his parliament would not be in power.
Unfortunately, for Zelenskyy and Yermak, the only strategy they’re thinking about is how to maintain power. This causes them to roll back reforms and dismantle democracy because they understand they cannot win democratic elections.
It smells like they feel elections are coming. All these crackdowns are related to the fear of not being in power longer.
How to stay in power? Get rid of watchdog organizations naming names and saying the truth. Get rid of independent media – sanction media owners to shut down outlets like Ukrainska Pravda, Novaya Vremya. Intimidate individual activists and journalists. Then destroy possible political opponents.
There is a lot of trust in Ukraine’s armed forces. Therefore, the State Bureau of Investigations will attack military commanders who have the trust of the Ukrainian people.
In Shabunin’s case, Zelenskyy and Yermak showed they can use this instrument to destroy any person serving in the military.
“Obvious revenge”: Ukraine prosecutes the activist who created its anti-corruption system
Zelenskyy becomes villain against whom he campaigned in 2019
It’s ironic that Zelenskyy campaigned as the anti-corruption outsider in 2019. Now he’s dismantling the very institutions built to fulfill these promises. Why this turn? Why now? Doesn’t he understand this is suicidal?
I think he needs to thank Mr. Andriy Yermak, who controls 90% of information flow to Zelensky, shapes his mind, and helps him appoint very loyal managers.
Yermak appointed Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, basically suggested him as a very good prospective Pshonka for Zelensky.
Either intentionally or unintentionally, Yermak is doing a big favor for the Kremlin and big damage to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy might not understand or is too busy and tired. But he’s not coping with his role as leader, which should reflect the mood of the Ukrainian people.
If he entrusted so much power to Yermak and Oleg Tatarov – guys against democracy, against fundamental freedoms, against checks and balances – it reflects his view of society.
He campaigned in “Servant of the People” against untouchables. He created untouchables inside his circle. So he became the [anti-]hero against whom he was campaigning.
Could you give us more context about what NABU and SAPO have accomplished that is now at risk?
They have charged hundreds of people in high-level positions, tackling critical cases in different sectors.
Just this year, there were charges in defense sector food procurement, against key state officials in land schemes, and charges against Oleksiy Chernyshov, the former deputy prime minister and close friend of Zelenskyy.
NABU also looked deeply into defense contracts. Zelenskyy didn’t like this, which triggered his reaction and had horrible results for these institutions, the country, and Zelenskyy himself.We’ve been using these cases since 2022 as powerful arguments to advocate for more weapons, more support for Ukraine, fast-track European integration, the Danish model.
But now we are groundless. I can’t use this argument anymore. The Kremlin now celebrates.
These are the narratives the Kremlin tried to spread through propaganda – that Ukraine is absolutely corrupt, that Zelenskyy is autocratic, oppresses opposition, and silences critics.
Two months ago, I was defending Zelenskyy against this. When Trump was saying Zelenskyy is a dictator, I wrote pieces and did interviews saying there is a system of checks and balances in Ukraine, these anti-corruption institutions are working.
Now I can’t say anything. Yermak, Zelenskyy, and the MPs voting for this law have created beautiful arguments for the Kremlin to make Ukraine a country not worth supporting.
I hope international partners will keep supporting Ukraine with military assistance – it’s critical for our armed forces dying defending Ukraine. But clearly, Russia will use this to discredit support.
Is NABU infested with Russian spies?
The government says this is about national security after finding Russian spies in NABU. You’re saying it’s about protecting corrupt officials. How do we know who’s right?
It’s very simple. The Security Service, Prosecutor General’s Office, and State Bureau of Investigations conducted simultaneously 80 searches against more than 15 NABU detectives and their family members without court warrants, claiming it was a special operation to unveil Russian spies.
So far, we have only two cases in which a suspicion was announced. All the other cases are not related to cooperating with Russia—car accidents from years ago, other crazy cases.
Even the security-related charges aren’t extraordinary cases with clearly significant security damage. One NABU worker allegedly sold cannabis to Dagestan through relatives with Russian citizenship. Another allegedly provided information to a former security service officer during the Yanukovych period.
I don’t say there cannot be Russian spies in NABU – there can be spies anywhere. But 80 searches, and I would expect landmark, extraordinary cases. We don’t see them.
Simultaneously, the security service is verifying how SAPO handles state secrecy and getting access to all pending investigations—whistleblowers, agents cooperating with NABU, and all operative information.
They already accessed files and saw where NABU was looking. Coincidentally, the next day, Zelenskyy passed a law empowering the prosecutor general with all rights to control when NABU moves and breathes.
Clearly, it’s not an accident. Sources alerted us two weeks in advance that this was the plan to gain control over NABU and SAPO. Prosecutor General Kravchenko was appointed for this particular reason.
He’s directly receiving orders from Yermak, executing Zelenskyy’s will. Zelenskyy is pissed off that NABU and SAPO are investigating his close associates like Chernyshov.
Perfect moment
The timing seems strategic – wartime, no elections, weakened opposition. Was this the perfect moment?
It is the perfect moment because our European partners are on vacation drinking prosecco and enjoying the summer seaside. I’m joking obviously, but that’s important – how to mobilize proper reaction from European partners.
Protests against law to gut anti-corruption agencies are starting in Ukraine. Here is Lviv
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 22, 2025
Today, the parliament voted for law #12414 to bring the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Office under control of politically-appointed General Prosecutor,… pic.twitter.com/9H6PeDH07K
Overall, this attack is strategically important for the Kremlin and plays into their hands. If they’re trying to accuse us of state treason, they should look at themselves – how they’re creating reasons and grounds for the Kremlin to attack Ukraine internationally.
They don’t need to invent anything. The narratives and facts are being created by Zelenskyy and his vassals.
What concretely happens now? If there’s a billion-dollar corruption case tomorrow, who investigates it?
The Prosecutor General controls that case. NABU can investigate, but there will be just the name NABU. The substance of having a truly independent agency with SAPO supervision will be over.
It means one person, Kravchenko, goes to another person, Yermak, and they agree: “Should we investigate this billion-dollar case? Probably not, but we’ll ask this defense producer for 10% bribe. Let’s introduce our affiliated companies as co-owners, and then we won’t investigate anything. Everybody’s happy.”
We are building new oligarchs in Ukraine. This is the thinking happening inside the president’s office among those designing this scheme.
10 years of Ukraine’s progress annulled
What does this mean for Ukraine’s European integration prospects?
It puts us back 10 years. I have déjà vu of November 2013, when Yanukovych refused to sign the EU association agreement and told the Ukrainian people, “I don’t care what you think.”
The establishment of these institutions was written in all documents related to EU accession, IMF loans, and visa liberalization. If you dismantle these agencies, you can’t remove them from these documents. These are Ukraine’s obligations, which are now nullified. All progress will be nullified.
How to repair that overnight when the destruction is already done? It’s impossible.
Parliament members voting for this trash were so happy, congratulating themselves. Folks like Maksym Buzhanskyi from Servant of the People were celebrating with Yuliia Tymoshenko, who spreads the same messages Putin spread in early February 2022 before invading Ukraine.
Putin said Ukraine is losing sovereignty to foreign partners, establishing anti-corruption institutions with foreign experts. For that, Ukraine needs to be liberated. This is how Putin started the large-scale war.
Now our MPs are saying the same thing Putin was saying. Are they nuts? They should quit and work in Russia.
International partners stay mum as red lines crossed
What has the international response been? Is it what you expected?
Very slow. This escalation could have been prevented if before the Ukraine Reform Conference, when the Cabinet violated the law and didn’t appoint a BES director, URC leaders clearly told Zelenskyy it’s unacceptable.
But no one wanted to spoil the URC. That beautiful conference – everybody was happy, congratulating everybody about reforms.
At the end, as there was no reaction, came these searches of Shabunin without court warrants, absurd accusations.
Did we see the international partner’s reaction? No, everybody was waiting. “Let’s see how it develops.”
Red lines were crossed. Yermak and Zelenskyy tested them, to no reaction.“Everybody doesn’t care about corruption and the rule of law anymore. We’re the bosses in our home. We decide what we do. We don’t care about your reforms.”
This approach was bred by self-censorship of our international partners.
Daria, thank you very much. Let’s hope President Zelenskyy will roll back this law.
Zelenskyy signs controversial law undermining Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies
About Daria Kaleniuk: Daria Kaleniuk is Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Kyiv, which she co-founded in 2012 during Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency. After Euromaidan, she helped Ukraine’s parliament design the laws that created NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) and SAPO (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office).
Her organization launched the Yanukovych.info website in December 2013 that tracked Viktor Yanukovych’s foreign assets so European countries could freeze them.
She gained international attention in March 2022 when she confronted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a press conference in Warsaw, demanding sanctions on Russian oligarchs and a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, she testified before the US Helsinki Commission in April 2022 about the connection between Russia’s invasion and Ukraine’s anti-corruption reforms.
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