Raids on NABU: Signs of Political Pressure on Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Institutions
In the early morning hours, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG), and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), carried out extensive searches across multiple locations targeting employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). These operations followed allegations of treason against two NABU officers accused of allegedly collaborating with Russia. The measures sparked widespread concern both domestically and internationally, with experts questioning the motives behind such investigative actions. Transparency International Ukraine responded promptly, stating that the scope and coordination of these searches indicate a deliberate attempt by authorities to destabilize and undermine the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. According to the organization, these actions aim to gain control over investigations involving high-ranking officials and to exert pressure on ongoing proceedings. Activists emphasize that such tactics undermine public trust in key institutions and threaten the future effectiveness and autonomy of NABU, SAP, and other related bodies. Many civil society representatives pointed out that the conducted raids violate several legal norms and breach the fundamental principle of presumption of innocence enshrined in the Ukrainian Constitution, which stipulates that a person remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The authorities justified their actions citing anti-corruption efforts and the need to protect national interests, but critics believe these moves are politically motivated. It was also revealed that the searches resulted in access to confidential investigative information, risking the disruption of numerous ongoing cases and investigations into corruption practices. The situation escalated with reports of an attempt to reveal a FSB agent within NABU, specifically someone serving within the covert unit «D-2». Ukrainian security officials announced the neutralization of a suspected Russian spy, allegedly an employee of NABU’s central office involved with the «D-2» division, and linked this to broader concerns over espionage and interference during wartime. Public activists and international watchdogs are now calling on the Ukrainian leadership, particularly President Volodymyr Zelensky, to guarantee the independence of anti-corruption institutions and to cease illegal pressure tactics. They warn that such actions undermine the fight against corruption, diminish Ukraine’s chances for reform, and destabilize the country's democratic foundation at a critical time of war and national crisis.