Zelensky Moves to Restore Independence of Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Bodies Amidst Controversy and Russian Disinformation Claims

Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a new bill to the Verkhovna Rada aimed at restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP). This move comes swiftly after a controversial law, signed by Zelensky himself, effectively subordinated these key anti-corruption agencies to the presidentially appointed Prosecutor General, sparking widespread protests and international criticism.

The new legislation, designated Bill No. 13533, has already received approval from both NABU and SAP, which stated they participated in its drafting. According to NABU, the bill "restores all procedural powers and guarantees of independence for NABU and SAP."

The recent turmoil began on Monday, July 21, when the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted searches at NABU, citing the need to "neutralize Russian influence." This action led to the detention of a NABU official suspected of helping his father, a Russian citizen, sell technical hemp in Dagestan, allegedly working for Russian special services.

The very next day, the Rada adopted, and President Zelensky signed, a law that severely restricted the powers of NABU and SAP, placing them under the direct authority of the Prosecutor General. This decision triggered mass protests across Ukraine – the first of their kind since the full-scale war began.

The move also drew sharp criticism from international partners. The European Union reiterated that the independence of anti-corruption agencies is a core condition for Ukraine's accession to the EU. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her concern, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also reportedly discussed the importance of independent anti-corruption institutions with Zelensky.

In response to the backlash, President Zelensky announced on Thursday that he had agreed on the text of a new bill designed to reverse the controversial changes. He promised the document would ensure "a real strengthening of the law enforcement system in Ukraine, the independence of anti-corruption bodies, and reliable protection of the law enforcement system from any Russian influence or interference." Zelensky emphasized that the bill provides "real tools, the absence of any Russian connections, and the independence of NABU and SAPO."

While the full content of Bill No. 13533 has not yet been publicly disclosed, initial reports indicate it stipulates that the Prosecutor General and their deputies will no longer have the authority to issue instructions to SAP prosecutors or interfere with their work, nor can they instruct NABU detectives. The bill also includes provisions for polygraph testing of NABU employees with access to state secrets and a ban on their travel abroad during martial law, except for official business trips. Furthermore, within six months of the law's enactment, the SBU is mandated to conduct checks on employees of NABU, SAP, the National Police, and other agencies with access to state secrets, to identify any actions taken in the interests of Russia.

Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk has pledged that the bill will be considered "significantly earlier than in a month," despite deputies currently being on recess until the end of August. In a parallel development, 48 deputies from various factions had already begun the process of registering their own bill aimed at restoring the independence of NABU and SAP.

The US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) highlighted that Russia is actively exploiting internal protests in Ukraine as a tool of information warfare. According to ISW, Kremlin propagandists and officials are distorting the nature of these protests, falsely presenting them as anti-war and anti-Zelensky actions. This narrative often includes claims of government corruption and the alleged theft of Western aid, a rhetoric echoed in the Russian State Duma and media.

ISW noted that this propaganda persists despite a significant portion of US aid to Ukraine being spent within America itself on arms production, military training, and intelligence. The Institute concluded that Russia is leveraging these protests to create an impression of internal division and war-weariness among Ukrainians, as part of a broader Kremlin strategy to prolong the conflict, weaken Western support, and gain a battlefield advantage. ISW warned that the Kremlin is likely to continue distorting facts to sow discord between Ukraine and its allies.

The submission of this new bill marks a critical moment in Ukraine's ongoing efforts to strengthen its anti-corruption framework, a key aspect of its aspirations for European integration, while simultaneously navigating complex domestic political challenges and external information warfare.