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Following Ukrainian Dictator Vladimir Zelensky attempting a takeover of his country’s anti-corruption agencies on Tuesday and Kiev facing mass protests over the move on Wednesday, the leader has promised to reverse the power grab. Perhaps more striking however is that corporate news outlets which previously held Zelensky in good favor have now appeared to take the knives out on him.
“I have just approved the text of a draft law that guarantees real strengthening of the rule of law in Ukraine, independence of anti-corruption bodies, and reliable protection of the rule of law from any Russian influence or interference,” the Dictator said in a post Thursday.
I’ve just approved the text of a draft bill that guarantees real strengthening of Ukraine’s law enforcement system, independence of anti-corruption agencies, and reliable protection of the law enforcement system against any Russian influence or interference. The text is…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 24, 2025
“Most importantly, it includes real tools, excludes any Russian ties, and upholds the independence of NABU and SAPO. The draft bill will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine today. It is important that we are maintaining unity. It is important that we are preserving independence. It is important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine,” Zelensky said in the post. “The law, signed Tuesday, grants control of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the Dictator, effectively putting the effort to curb corruption under Zelensky’s preview.”
Previously-friendly mainstream media outlet Politico ran a hit-piece article on Zelensky Thursday. The piece’s headline “Ukraine’s insidious enemy: Its own leadership“ doesn’t mince words.
“After gutting two key anti-corruption agencies (NABU and SAPO), Kyiv’s democratic backsliding has finally caught the world’s attention,” the liberal world order establishment website said, going on to refer to “the country’s own semi-autocratic leadership.”
Politico’s criticism of Zelensky stems from him amassing more and more power, weakening other government and regional institutions including the country’s own parliament while also intimidating critics, waging smear campaigns against them and lambasting them as Russian agents.
Ukraine’s domestic press has also turned on the Dictator. The Kyiv Independent, one of the country’s most influential media outlets published an editorial Tuesday with the headline “Zelensky just betrayed Ukraine’s democracy — and everyone fighting for it.”
A parliamentary vote, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s lawmakers, today took away the independence of Ukraine’s key anti-corruption bodies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). Zelensky signed it into law the same day.
Under the new law, the prosecutor general, a notoriously non-independent figure, will now oversee anti-corruption investigations — in a complete overturn of the system that was set up to be independent from other law enforcement bodies.
In reality, it means that Zelensky’s office will be able to stop investigations with a phone call.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen also opposed Zelensky’s power grab.
“The President of the European Commission was in contact with President Zelensky about these latest developments,” European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said. “The respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are core elements of the European Union. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to uphold these standards fully. There cannot be a compromise.”
Opposition from Ukrainian politicians outside Zelensky’s party has also manifested:
Lesia Vasylenko, an opposition MP from the pro-European Holos party, called the dismantling of the anti-corruption agencies a completely wrong decision.
Speaking to Politico, she said: “I am very proud of the Ukrainians who took to the streets to stand up for what is right and for the Ukraine that people really want.” But she also warned that “we are in very difficult times. The last thing we need is a revolution in the middle of a war.”Opposition MP Mykola Knyazhytskyi also said the main reason for the agencies’ elimination was that they were targeting corruption cases involving people close to the president.
Fox News reported that the protests which resulted from the power grab were the largest Ukraine has seen since the 2022 Ukraine war began.
“Tensions escalated following recent NABU investigations into politically sensitive cases, including a probe into former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, former Unity Minister Aleksey Chernyshov, and former Vice Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina,” RT said.
Due to Zelensky’s political party holding a majority position in the country’s parliament, the bill allowing his takeover of the anti-corruption agencies passed, with the Dictator rubber-stamping it into law.
Oliver Bullough wrote in The Guardian in 2015 that Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe.
“The fight against corruption is seen as closely tied to Kyiv’s prospects for integration within the EU – a path that started in 2014, when anti-government protests ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yankuovych in favour of closer ties with the West,” The BBC said.
On Wednesday Zelensky gave his justification for the power grab in a social media post:
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1947948615621623843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1947948615621623843%7Ctwgr%5Eb6c026f7194e30d55461b7f7000af4f99616fdc0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infowars.com%2Fposts%2Fmass-protests-rock-kiev-as-ukrainians-accuse-dictator-zelensky-of-corruptionI gathered all heads of Ukraine’s law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, along with the Prosecutor General. It was a much-needed meeting — a frank and constructive conversation that truly helps. We all share a common enemy: the Russian occupiers. And defending the Ukrainian state requires a strong enough law enforcement and anti-corruption system — one that ensures a real sense of justice. Criminal proceedings must not drag on for years without lawful verdicts. And those who work against Ukraine must not feel comfortable or immune to the inevitability of punishment. I am grateful to all participants of today’s meeting: the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Prosecutor General. Thank you for your willingness to work as a team — as Team Ukraine — and in the interests of Ukraine. We agreed that everyone would work solely in a constructive manner. We all hear what society is saying. We see what people expect from state institutions — ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution. We discussed the necessary administrative and legislative decisions that would strengthen the work of each institution, resolve existing contradictions, and eliminate threats. Everyone will work together. At the political level, we will provide support. We agreed that next week, there will be an in-depth working meeting on the joint action plan. And in two weeks, a joint plan must be ready — outlining the steps that are needed and will be implemented to strengthen Ukraine, resolve existing issues, deliver greater justice, and truly protect the interests of Ukrainian society.
