Ukraine’s lengthy efforts to clean up its weapons procurement are in danger of being unwound as the Defense Ministry strangleholds the Defense Procurement Agency, say anti-corruption activists and lawmakers. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Jan. 24 that he would not renew the contract of Maryna Bezrukova, the head
As Ukraine's civil society and the country's Western partners call on the authorities to fight corruption amid Russia's full-scale invasion, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is showing mixed results. A year has passed since Semen Kryvonos became the head of the NABU in March 2023, replacing the bureau’
Andriy Smyrnov, a deputy chief of staff for President Volodymyr Zelensky, clarified on July 18 that Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and Ivan Bakanov, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, had been suspended but not fired yet. According to Smyrnov, the top officials' suspension was needed to prevent their potential
According to experts, the resignation will allow tainted members of the High Council of Justice to evade responsibility for wrongdoings.
'One expert described anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine as an isolated island in a hostile sea. I believe this is an appropriate illustration.'
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.
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
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
Kyiv’s Shevchenkivsky District Court has ordered prosecutors to close a bribery case against President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Deputy Chief of Staff Oleh Tatarov, according to a ruling published in the official register of court decisions. The ruling was issued on Dec. 14 but was published by the Anti-Corruption Action
Editor’s Note: The following is an open letter to Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova from five members of the anti-corruption prosecutor selection panel. The Kyiv Independent publishes it with permission. The seat of Ukraine’s anti-corruption prosecutor has been vacant since August 2020. Watchdogs blame officials for delaying and sabotaging
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
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
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
Artem Sytnyk, head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), was appointed in 2015 to achieve a breakthrough in Ukraine’s long fight against elite corruption. Sytnyk’s term expires in April 2022, which means that the time has come to assess the achievements of his tenure. The Kyiv
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)
The selection of an anti-corruption prosecutor has started to move forward following months of delay. On Dec. 7, the selection panel announced its scores for the written test of two finalists. Oleksandr Klymenko, a detective of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), scored higher than prosecutor Andriy Synyuk. Klymenko scored 18
Ukraine has had mixed results with its rule of law reforms in recent weeks. On the one hand, a crucial judicial reform appears to be moving forward after years of delay. On the other hand, the success of that reform is far from guaranteed. Moreover, President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed
