Ukraine has witnessed its first large-scale anti-government protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion began over three years ago, sparked by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval of a controversial law that weakens two of the country’s top anti-corruption agencies.
Protesters gathered in Kyiv, Lviv, and other cities on Tuesday, following the swift passage of legislation that places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the control of the prosecutor general — a politically appointed position. Critics say the law threatens the independence of these institutions and could derail Ukraine’s aspirations to join the European Union.
The EU has repeatedly stressed that a robust and independent anti-corruption framework is essential for Ukraine’s accession process. The Biden administration also pushed Kyiv to intensify anti-corruption efforts in 2023. Transparency International, the European Union, and several Western allies have now openly criticized the move.
Marta Kos, the EU’s top official overseeing accession talks, called the development “a serious step back.” She wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence is a serious step back. Independent bodies like NABU and SAPO are essential for Ukraine’s EU path. Rule of law remains at the center of accession negotiations.”
The law was fast-tracked through the Verkhovna Rada and signed by Zelensky on Tuesday night. In his nightly address, Zelensky defended the move as a necessary step to remove alleged Russian influence from within the agencies. His remarks followed raids by Ukrainian authorities on one of the agencies and the arrest of two employees accused of working for Russian intelligence.
Zelensky said the previous system had led to years of stalled cases and argued that oversight by the prosecutor general would increase accountability. “Everyone will work solely in a constructive manner to resolve existing issues, deliver greater justice, and truly protect the interests of Ukrainian society,” he said Wednesday.
However, the law grants the prosecutor general sweeping powers over the agencies, including influence over investigations and the authority to reassign or block cases — changes critics say will erode the agencies’ effectiveness and independence.
Thousands of people gathered in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities to protest as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a controversial bill that limits the autonomy of two anti-corruption bodies. pic.twitter.com/V50l2WBhT6
— DW News (@dwnews) July 23, 2025
Protests against Law No. 12414 are spreading across multiple cities in Ukraine. Citizens are voicing strong opposition to the legislation, which they see as a direct threat to the independence of anti-corruption institutions NABU and SAPO. Public pressure is building. pic.twitter.com/oFWs8fniBt
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 23, 2025
Public criticism has come from across the political spectrum. Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the day the bill passed as a “bad day for Ukraine.”
Even soldiers on the front lines expressed dismay. Yegor Firsov, a chief sergeant in a drone strike unit, posted on X:
“This isn’t about NABU or SAPO. This is about barbarism. Nothing is more demoralizing than knowing that while you’re in a trench, someone is robbing the country your brothers are dying for.”
The agencies themselves issued a rare joint statement on Wednesday, warning they had been “deprived of guarantees” that enabled them to fight high-level corruption effectively. They called on the government to reverse the legislation.
Transparency International’s Ukrainian chapter urged Zelensky to veto the bill, calling it a dismantling of “one of the greatest achievements” of Ukraine’s post-2014 Revolution of Dignity — the peaceful uprising that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych and ushered in pro-European reforms.
NABU and SAPO were created in the revolution’s aftermath to investigate and prosecute high-level corruption. NABU handles investigations, while SAPO prosecutes based on NABU’s findings. Both agencies have been seen as vital to Ukraine’s broader anti-corruption architecture.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine called the new law “disappointing,” stating that it “threatens the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure and undermines trust in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.”
The Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI), a Kyiv-based think tank, called the new law a “180-degree turn” from Ukraine’s European integration goals. ALI warned that the prosecutor general would now wield near-unlimited powers, including the ability to reassign or effectively stall investigations. It also noted that the law’s provisions will remain in place for three years beyond the end of martial law, raising concerns about its long-term implications.
Tackling corruption was a central promise of Zelensky’s 2019 campaign. A former comedian with no prior political experience, he surged to victory on a platform of transparency and reform. During the war, his administration won praise from Western partners for cracking down on corruption, firing top officials, and implementing a National Anti-Corruption Strategy.
Now, some of those same international partners are voicing concern. Critics argue that Zelensky’s latest move undermines years of hard-earned progress.
“He promised to fight corruption,” said one protester in Kyiv. “Instead, he’s weakening the very tools created to fight it.”
