This Week in Ukraine Ep. 35 – What is behind Defense Ministry's overhaul?
Episode #35 is dedicated to the wave of personnel replacements in Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the military.
Corruption
Parliament passes bill to increase anti-corruption bureau staff in first reading
Ukraine's parliament passed in the first reading a draft law to increase the staff of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) from 700 to 1,000, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Nov. 21.
Audit of Chernihiv Oblast military unit reveals procurement wrongdoing
An audit conducted by Ukraine's Defense Ministry concerning a military unit in Chernihiv Oblast revealed a loss of more than Hr 38.8 million ($1.08 million) of state funds, the ministry reported on Nov. 21.
This Week in Ukraine Ep. 31 – Why murderers of EuroMaidan protestors still enjoy impunity
Episode #31 is dedicated to the disappointing outcome of the trial against riot police officers who murdered unarmed protestors during Ukraine's EuroMaidan revolution in 2014.
Opinion: Are Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts at a standstill?
“Ukraine is the second-most corrupt country in Europe." "The situation with bribery has been at a standstill.” “Corruption reform doesn’t work in Ukraine.” These statements have been repeated at various international forums, by foreign officials, and by the media. But how much truth is there to these statements? In
Olena Halushka: Draft law on asset declarations threatens integrity of Ukraine’s democracy
Editor’s Note: President Volodymyr Zelensky vetoed the Verkhovna Rada's amendments to the draft bill on electronic asset declarations for public officials on Sept. 12, saying "declarations must be open." In early September, President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Ukraine’s parliament to adopt a draft law critical to Ukraine’s
Reznikov’s tenure as defense chief ends after latest corruption allegations
Oleksii Reznikov led the defense ministry for 522 days, during the country’s toughest time. He also oversaw the ministry through two major corruption scandals that eventually led to his ousting. Following the latest allegations of corruption, this time concerning the procurement of winter attire for soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky
This Week in Ukraine Ep. 23 – Ministry of Defense is under fire for corruption, again
Episode #23 of our weekly video podcast “This Week in Ukraine” is dedicated to corruption scandals at Ukraine's Ministry of Defense.
Doug Klain: How to open NATO’s door for Ukraine
Despite more than two-thirds of NATO members supporting a path for Ukraine into the alliance, Ukraine got a flat no. The alliance’s decision at the 2023 Vilnius summit was both unsurprising and a disappointment. Opposition primarily from Washington and Berlin dashed any hopes of a clear invite for Ukraine,
This Week in Ukraine Ep. 10 – Corruption in Ukraine, and where reforms fall short
Episode #10 of our weekly video podcast “This Week in Ukraine” is dedicated to corruption inside Ukraine's judicial system, and how the government has tried to implement reforms to fight it.
Power Lines Bonus Ep. 10 — Reporting on corruption in Ukraine
In this episode of our podcast "Power Lines: From Ukraine to the World," co-produced with Message Heard, co-hosts Jakub and Nastya are speaking to Anna Myroniuk, the head of investigations at the Kyiv Independent. They discuss the complexities of reporting on Ukraine’s corruption in the current climate, offering a
Andrii Borovyk: Ukraine's Corruption Perceptions Index results and what world can expect going forward
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Today, the results of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2022 have been published. Ukraine received 33 points out of 100 possible. Our
Supreme Court fails to dismiss deputy chairman with Russian passport
The commercial chamber of Ukraine's Supreme Court on Oct. 3 failed to gather enough votes to fire the chamber's Chairman Bohdan Lvov. Days prior, Ukraine's Security Service confirmed that Lvov is a Russian citizen, which he continues to deny. Under Ukrainian law, foreign citizens are banned from holding government jobs.
Investigators destroy case files linked to pro-Kremlin politicians amid Russian invasion
Ukraine’s State Investigation Bureau destroyed secret materials in several major criminal investigations immediately after Russia launched its all-out invasion on Feb. 24, the Prosecutor General’s Office said, as cited on July 8 by Iryna Romaliyska, a journalist at Prague-based television channel Current Time TV. The Prosecutor General’s
Ukraine’s biggest judicial corruption case sent to trial
A corruption case against Pavlo Vovk, Ukraine's most notorious judge, has been sent to the High Anti-Corruption Court, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office said on June 20. Vovk, head of the Kyiv District Administrative Court, has become a symbol of injustice, lawlessness, and impunity in Ukraine. Cases against him have been
Commission fails to nominate anti-graft prosecutor for third time
A selection panel on Feb. 3 failed to nominate a chief anti-corruption prosecutor for the third time. The panel that chooses the anti-corruption prosecutor consists of four international experts and six members delegated by parliament. Three of the pro-government members failed to attend a panel meeting on Feb. 3, and
Top Kyiv official Panteleyev charged with negligence over environmental damage
The Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office charged Petro Panteleyev, deputy head of the Kyiv City Administration, with negligence on Jan. 31. He is a long-standing ally of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Panteleyev is accused of failing to decontaminate the site of Kyiv’s former chemical plant Radikal, which according to prosecutors,
Transparency International: Ukraine's fight against corruption stagnated in 2021
Ukraine has slipped in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released annually by the watchdog Transparency International. In 2021, Ukraine earned 32 points out of 100, one point less than in the previous year. It placed 122nd out of 180 countries analyzed. "This decline in error indicates a period of stagnation.
Tainted top judicial officials resign ahead of reform
The High Council of Justice, the judiciary’s highest governing body, accepted the resignation of two of the council’s most controversial members on Jan. 20. The resignation of Oleksiy Malovatsky, acting head of the council, and Pavlo Grechkivsky will take effect on Jan. 26. They face numerous accusations of
Reform watch: Rule of law reforms blocked by corrupt actors
Ukraine’s reform record has been bleak over the past month. Pro-government members of a selection panel have refused to appoint the winner of the contest for the chief anti-corruption prosecutor. Another contest – for the State Investigation Bureau’s head – was seen by civil society as rigged. Ukraine’s two
Anti-corruption activists say head of Ukraine's ‘FBI’ appointed after fake contest
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 31 appointed Oleksiy Sukhachov as the head of the State Investigation Bureau, one of the main law enforcement agencies, for five years. The decision is highly controversial. Sukhachov, a loyalist of the Zelensky administration, was appointed by the president as the acting chief of the
Panel head blocks appointment of anti-graft prosecutor, wants SBU to check winner
A selection panel failed to nominate a new chief anti-corruption prosecutor for the second time on Dec. 24, triggering indignation among civil society. Kateryna Koval, head of the panel, demanded that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and other state agencies conduct a second background check on Oleksandr Klymenko, who
Selection panel fails to appoint anti-graft prosecutor, undermines ties with West
A selection panel failed to appoint a new chief anti-corruption prosecutor at what was supposed to be its final meeting on Dec. 21. Panel members blamed a recent decision by a tainted court led by a judge suspected of corruption. What anti-corruption activists see as the latest act of sabotage
Oleg Sukhov: US should sanction these 2 symbols of Ukraine’s corruption
On Dec. 9, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Oleksandr Tupytsky, head of Ukraine’s Constitutional Court, and Andriy Portnov, ex-deputy chief of staff for pro-Kremlin ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. Both stand accused of corruption and obstructing reforms. That was surely a great push for Ukrainian reforms and a massive blow
Controversial court's new ruling might cancel anti-corruption prosecutor contest
The selection of the country’s top anti-corruption prosecutor has come under the threat of being canceled by Ukraine's most controversial court. On Dec. 20, the Kyiv District Administrative Court ruled that the contest must be shut down. The court said in a statement that the selection committee lacks the
Infamous Ukrainian judge's brother released on bail after bribery charge
Yuriy Zontov, the brother of Ukraine’s most notorious judge, has been released from detention on Hr 7.6 million ($280,000) bail, the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office said on Dec. 15. Zontov is a former employee of the Foreign Intelligence Service. His brother is Pavlo Vovk, widely seen as
SBU uncovers largest operation selling fraudulent Covid-19 certification
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered the largest operation producing fake Covid-19 documentation and distributing it throughout the whole country, according to a Dec. 14 announcement. The operation generated around $185,000 a month, based on preliminary estimates. According to documents obtained by the SBU from the alleged
West urges Ukraine to complete key judicial, anti-corruption reforms quickly
Western diplomats urged Ukraine to complete key anti-corruption and judicial reforms in a quick, fair and transparent way at the “Seven Years of Anti-Corruption Reforms” conference in Kyiv on Dec. 9. The event was co-hosted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP)
US imposes sanctions on Constitutional Court chief, ex-Yanukovych official
The U.S. imposed sanctions on Oleksandr Tupytskyi, chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, and Andriy Portnov, a former ally of pro-Kremlin Ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, on Dec. 9. Both were accused of engaging in corrupt practices including bribery, illicit influence over reforms and the judiciary, and misappropriation of assets.
Anti-corruption body: Medvedchuk failed to declare $2.68 million in assets
Lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk, co-head of the pro-Kremlin 44-member Opposition Platform - For Life faction, failed to declare assets worth over Hr 73 million ($2.7 million), the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) announced on Dec. 8. According to the agency, Medvedchuk did not declare his Kyiv land
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