Ukraine’s battle against corruption has taken a dramatic turn, with anti-corruption agencies launching a major investigation into its own parliament members. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have targeted lawmakers from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ruling “Servant of the People” party, alleging a widespread bribery scheme.
Investigators recently stormed the Verkhovna Rada offices in Kyiv, focusing on the Parliamentary Transport and Infrastructure Committee. This wasn’t a smooth operation; state security guards initially tried to block access, leading to a standoff before the anti-corruption teams could proceed. Raids also extended to the ruling party’s Kyiv offices.
Ukrainian media has pointed to Yuriy Kisel, head of the Transport Committee, as a central figure in the probe, even reporting that covert listening devices had been placed in his office for a long time. While no names have been officially confirmed by NABU, other MPs, including Yevhen Pyvovarov, Ihor Nehulevskyi, and Olga Savchenko, have been named by local news outlets as potential suspects. The core accusation? Lawmakers allegedly received envelopes full of cash right inside the parliamentary building in exchange for their votes on legislation.
This isn’t an isolated incident. The scandal unfolds just weeks after another high-profile corruption case involving Energoatom, the state nuclear company. That investigation implicated Timur Mindich, a long-time associate of President Zelensky, in a staggering $100 million embezzlement scheme. The fallout was swift, leading to the resignation of the president’s chief of staff, along with the Justice and Energy Ministers. Mindich himself reportedly fled to Israel before charges were made public.
These intense investigations underscore Ukraine’s ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption, even at the highest levels of government.
