Volodymyr Zelensky ascended to the Ukrainian presidency in 2019 with a bold commitment to eradicate rampant corruption. However, recent developments have sparked concerns that his administration is actively undermining critical anti-corruption institutions during an ongoing war with Russia.
Vitalii Shabunin, a prominent figure in the anti-corruption movement and an outspoken critic of Zelensky, was recently accused of evading military service and fraud, charges he and his supporters vehemently deny. Conviction could lead to a lengthy prison term, raising alarms among civil society groups regarding potential political prosecution.
As Ukraine grapples with intense conflict, security forces have ramped up efforts against the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, framing their actions as necessary against alleged Russian infiltration. Concurrently, the Ukrainian Parliament, dominated by Zelensky’s party, has pushed legislation that would expand the powers of the prosecutor general—an appointee of the president—over inquiries led by these anti-corruption bodies.
Activists and analysts caution that such measures threaten the strength of independent media, state oversight, and other entities critical of Zelensky's government, warning that it reflects a systematic effort to dismantle years of hard-fought democratic progress.
