Ukrainians are protesting a law targeting anti-corruption agencies. Here's why

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainians are taking to the streets to protest a new law they worry will undermine the work of two key anti-corruption agencies, by eroding the independence of bodies meant to provide a check on power.

Discontent over the law led to the first major demonstration against the government in more than three years of war, marking the most serious fracture yet in the national unity that has helped Ukraine resist Russia's invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the law as necessary to remove “Russian influence” from the fight against corruption, though he didn’t provide examples of such interference.

The law adds new oversight for anti-corruption agencies

Ukraine’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that brings the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the authority of the prosecutor general, who is a presidential appointee. Zelenskyy signed it into law, even as thousands took to the streets asking him to scrap it.

Critics say it could give Zelenskyy's circle greater influence over investigations. It comes after Zelenskyy carried out a reshuffle of his wartime Cabinet, a move also widely viewed as consolidating power with his inner circle.

Before the bill was signed, the agencies warned that, if it took effect, “the head of SAPO will become a nominal figure, while NABU will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general’s office.”

NABU investigates corruption cases involving top officials, while SAPO supervises these investigations and prosecutes cases in court.

The law has unleashed criticism of the government

Ukraine has a robust tradition of pro-democracy protests, with street demonstrations twice resulting in political upheavals.

In fact, the two agencies in question were established after the 2014 Maidan revolution, which ousted then-President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s pro-Moscow leader who was accused of corruption on a massive scale, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the government.

His corruption was so vast that ordinary Ukrainians were aghast when they toured the grounds of his lavish mansion and discovered his collection of expensive cars and even a private zoo.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, however, rallies have largely focused on the return of prisoners of war or missing people.

But Tuesday's demonstrations trained public outrage on the government, with some calling the law a greater blow to morale than even routine Russian drone and missile attacks.

A mood of anger and frustration among the war-weary Ukrainians prevailed in the crowd. Some protesters accused Ukraine’s leadership of prioritizing loyalty and personal connections over the fight against corruption.

“Ukraine has far fewer resources than Russia in this war,” said Ihor Lachenkov, a blogger and activist who urged people to join the protest through his social media platforms, which reach more than 1.5 million followers. “If we misuse them, or worse, allow them to end up in the pockets of thieves, our chances of victory diminish. All our resources must go toward the fight.”

The protests have raised questions about the state of democracy in Ukraine — one of the values it is fighting for in the war with Russia.

“When a spectacle is staged and pushed through in 24 hours for everyone to swallow, that is not justice,” former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Instagram.

The government defends the move

In his address Tuesday night, Zelenskyy insisted that the country’s anti-corruption infrastructure “will continue to function” after it is “cleansed of any Russian influence.”

He alleged that some cases had been allowed to languish and the targets of some investigations never brought to justice.

“For years, officials who have fled Ukraine have been casually living abroad for some reason — in very nice countries and without legal consequences — and this is not normal,” he said in a Telegram post.

On Wednesday, he gathered the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies and the prosecutor general. He announced that a detailed action plan will be developed within two weeks to ensure the system is more effective and fair.

“We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the effectiveness of each institution,” he said on Telegram.

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko dismissed concerns about the agencies’ independence.

“I can promise that I will not misuse these rights,” he said. “I could sign this promise in blood, if necessary.”

Fighting corruption is crucial to Ukraine's future

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticized the law, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since the 2014 uprising and that it damages trust with international partners.

Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial to Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid. In a post on X, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called the new law “a serious step back.”

The action against the agencies comes only a month after the NABU launched a criminal investigation into then–Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov — one of the highest-profile corruption cases since Zelenskyy took office. Chernyshov has denied the allegations but was removed from his post during last week’s government reshuffle.

It also follows the arrest of two NABU officials on suspicion of having ties to Russia by Ukraine’s Security Service.