Multiple high-ranking Ukrainian military and political officials—reportedly including a lawmaker from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s own party—have been arrested in a sweeping anti-corruption probe tied to stolen war funds and bribery. The arrests follow rising public outrage and recent mass protests in Kyiv over weakening anti-corruption oversight.
According to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), four individuals were taken into custody for their roles in a scheme that defrauded the Ukrainian defense ministry by inflating prices on equipment, including military drones and electronic warfare systems, by over 30 percent. Officials say the conspirators collected kickbacks after contracts were fulfilled.
Among those arrested is Oleksii Kuznetsov, a sitting Member of Parliament in Zelensky’s ruling Servant of the People party, along with former Luhansk governor Serhii Haidai, Rubizhne district head Andrii Yurchenko, and a senior official from the National Guard. NABU accused them of exploiting the wartime procurement process for personal gain while the country battles Russia.
President Zelensky responded on Telegram, stating, “There can only be zero tolerance for corruption,” and praising the country’s anti-corruption agencies for their work. However, critics note that the arrests come amid a larger pattern of corruption scandals that continue to plague Ukraine’s government.
Last month, the Zelensky administration attempted to curtail the independence of its own anti-corruption bodies. The move drew intense backlash from citizens and pressure from the European Union, forcing Zelensky to reverse the legislation swiftly. The EU has made anti-corruption benchmarks a requirement for Ukraine’s continued path toward potential EU membership.
Ukraine’s deep-rooted corruption problem remains a critical issue. Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index scored Ukraine just 35 out of 100, ranking it 105th globally—worse than every European nation except Russia and Belarus.
A New York Times investigation in 2023 exposed how corruption reached “the highest level of Ukrainian politics,” revealing that funds allocated for military contracts mysteriously disappeared in the early stages of the war with Russia.
