Anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine, even amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, demonstrate the country’s institutional resilience, according to Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka. He views these probes as essential to the nation’s political evolution and its bid for European Union integration, describing the process as “the healthiest thing” happening within the country of approximately 44 million people. Kachka, who oversees Ukraine’s EU integration, emphasized that systemic corruption, once a significant barrier to accession, is rapidly becoming a relic of the past.
Recent high-profile investigations have indeed reverberated across Ukraine. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) are currently examining a scheme involving an alleged €9 million money laundering operation. This intricate network reportedly operated between 2021 and 2025, funneling funds through the construction of upscale residential properties in Kozyn, a Kyiv suburb. A portion of the financing for these developments is believed to have originated from corrupt dealings within Ukraine’s state-owned energy company, Enerhoatom. Notably, Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff, was among those implicated. He spent four days in custody before being released on €2.7 million bail.
Kachka explicitly stated that these rigorous investigations align directly with the European Union’s expectations for Ukraine. He articulated that the EU seeks a clear government, free from corruption, and an effective anti-corruption framework. Data from the past year supports this claim of functionality. The NABU initiated 737 cases, while SAPO brought 125 indictments against over 200 individuals. Furthermore, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine delivered 93 sentences against 130 people. These figures, Kachka argued, are clear evidence that the established anti-corruption mechanisms are working as intended. He also pointed out that this framework reached full operational capacity in 2023, a period when Russia’s war was already at its most intense.
The genesis of NABU and SAPO dates back to 2015, a direct outcome of pro-Western reforms enacted after Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity, which led to the ousting of former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. These institutions were designed to operate independently, free from political meddling, to investigate and prosecute high-level corruption cases. NABU focuses on investigations, while SAPO handles oversight and prosecution. The High Anti-Corruption Court then adjudicates these cases, with the chief anti-corruption prosecutor maintaining independence from Ukraine’s prosecutor general. The establishment of these bodies was a crucial prerequisite set by both the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund for Ukraine to achieve visa liberalization with the EU.
Despite the positive narrative surrounding these efforts, challenges and controversies have emerged. Last summer, Ukraine’s state security service, SBU, conducted a series of raids on NABU offices, part of a broader investigation into suspected Russian infiltration. During these raids, over a dozen employees underwent searches, and two detectives were detained. The SBU alleged that one NABU official was a Russian spy and another had business ties to Moscow, with further claims linking other NABU personnel to a banned party associated with a fugitive Ukrainian politician. Both NABU and SAPO vehemently denied these accusations, suggesting the SBU’s counterintelligence actions were a prelude to potential legislative amendments that would undermine the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies. This sparked public outcry, with thousands protesting across Ukraine and urging President Zelenskyy to veto any such bill. While admitting that these anti-corruption scandals can be damaging to Ukraine’s international image, Kachka maintained that the country is not seeking excuses, instead focusing on fulfilling its commitments with utmost precision.
