Ukraine war situation update: 19 - 25 July 2025

Spotlight: A bill limiting the independence of anti-corruption organs sparks protests across Ukraine

Between 22 and 25 July, over 60 protests erupted in more than two dozen cities across Ukraine after the country’s parliament hastily adopted a law restricting the independence of the country’s anti-corruption bodies. The law grants special powers to the prosecutor general to oversee the previously independent National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). In particular, the law allows the prosecutor general to assign anti-corruption cases to other investigative bodies and prosecutors, issue mandatory instructions to the NABU, control activities of the SAPO prosecutors, and have a final say in closing cases.¹ The law drew criticism from Ukraine’s civil society and European leaders who claimed it undermines reforms necessary for Ukraine’s European integration and discourages foreign investment.²

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi justified signing the law by claiming that the NABU and the SAPO are under Russian influence and had been ineffective in prosecuting corrupt officials who fled the country.³ The law was adopted a day after Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies searched homes and offices of at least 15 NABU detectives, detaining or issuing notices of suspicion to several of them due to what these agencies allege are ties to Russia or involvement in road accidents, and conducted an inspection of the SAPO offices and cases.⁴ Meanwhile, journalists have pointed out growing tension between the president’s office and the anti-corruption bodies due to investigations into several of Zelenskyi’s friends and allies.⁵ Following the protests and mounting criticism, Zelenskyi registered another draft law on 24 July that will be voted on in parliament on 31 July. It restores independence of the NABU and the SAPO,⁶ while also introducing polygraph tests of staff with access to classified information.⁷

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, demonstration events in Ukraine have become scarce due to the higher tolerance of Ukrainians toward perceived government failings. Prior to last week’s demonstrations, ACLED records a weekly average of four to five demonstrations since the invasion; over half of them demanded timely prisoner exchanges. The public outcry in relation to the attempted executive control over anti-corruption bodies — despite the war — highlights the enduring importance of anti-corruption efforts for people in Ukraine. Protesters recalled the 2013 and 2014 “Euromaidan” events that demanded European integration and action against corruption.

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