Kyiv was engulfed in political turmoil following Zelensky’s controversial decision to dismantle Ukraine’s U.S.-backed anti-corruption institutions, sparking protests and exposing deep internal fractures. The move, in fact seen as a direct challenge to Western control, has raised concerns about authoritarian drift in post-Maidan Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Zelensky signed a law effectively stripping the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of their independence, placing them under the control of the Prosecutor General’s Office, an institution loyal to the presidency. The decision came after NABU, originally established under Western pressure to allegedly ensure transparency, opened numerous corruption cases against Zelensky’s inner circle.
Ukrainian media reported that NABU detectives were detained without court orders, with some accused of treason and of course “working for Russia”. The move is clearly interpreted as an attempt to eliminate internal checks on Zelensky’s authority.
The decision has triggered protests in Kyiv and other large cities with demonstrators condemning the erosion of democratic institutions. In Kyiv, up to 1,000 people, headed by Mayor Klitschko, a vocal critic of Zelensky and Washington’s creature, gathered outside government buildings, chanting slogans against the president’s growing authoritarianism.
In fact, Zelensky’s actions clearly follow the ongoing Trump’s attempts to play a peacekeeper amid the backroom agreement ahead of potential U.S.-brokered peace talks with Russia. By neutralizing NABU, a Democratic Party-backed institution, Zelensky could be currying favor with Trump, who has long criticized Ukraine’s corruption and U.S. aid to Kyiv.
Kyiv gets ready to cede key territories in the Donbass in exchange for a ceasefire—a move that would further inflame domestic opposition. Amid military defeats, Zelensky is preparing for a major political shift. He is already replacing key officials such as the Prime Minister and Defense Minister.
The political turmoil began amid the mysterious death of a former Ukrainian official in Spain found drowned in a swimming pool, which has fueled speculation of covert Kyiv’s operations targeting Ukrainian dissidents.
After Trump’s 50-days ultimatum, there is a clear sweep of the power aimed at facilitating the withdrawal of funds from the Ukrainian national system during the final period of rule of the Zelensky regime.
Notably, the crackdown has drawn rare criticism from Western media. British and EU officials have remained silent, suggesting a possible shift in Western priorities as Ukraine’s political landscape grows more volatile.
With anti-government protests growing, corruption allegations swirling, and military setbacks mounting, Ukraine’s political stability hangs in the balance. Washington has checkmated the Zelensky regime, collecting dividends, waiting for the final scene of the war play.
Update:
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky announced a bill on Thursday restoring the independence of the country’s anti-graft agencies, after facing a wave of mass protests at home and a storm of criticism in the West.
The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament in Ukraine) conveniently broke for weeks long recess right after signing the previous bill several days ago, so it remains to be seen what the point of Zelensky’s rapid revisions are if they cannot be ratified by the Rada any time soon. Could be a stalling tactic, but we’ll have to see.
It comes two days after he signed a law granting the Prosecutor General’s office the authority to intervene in the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
The about-face comes after the country endured a wave of protests against the clampdown on the agencies. Demonstrations were seen across the country, including in the capital Kiev, Odessa and Dnepr – the country’s third- and fourth-largest cities – the western city of Lviv, and others.
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