NABU supports Zelenskyy’s proposal for SBU vetting over possible Russian ties in law enforcement

The director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Semen Kryvonos, said that the bureau is prepared to undergo inspections by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to determine any possible influence by Russia, following the enactment of a controversial new law.

“According to the second point, within six months after the law comes into force, [the SBU must] conduct an inspection of the possible influence of the aggressor country and its connections. This applies not only to NABU, but to all law enforcement agencies. We are okay with this. We will conduct all these inspections and close this issue in six months, present the results and move on,” Kryvonos said.

He clarified that NABU employees are already subject to checks by the SBU when dealing with classified materials.

“In the state, everyone who works with state secrets fills out the appropriate questionnaire and provides it to the SBU. They check these questionnaires and decide whether to grant access or not. So, in fact, everyone undergoes this inspection anyway,” he said.

Kryvonos expressed hope that the upcoming review would be effective and free of political pressure. He added that he has no “deep concerns” about the process.

“But if there is any abnormal behavior, I will definitely talk about it with society,” he added.

The Verkhovna Rada is expected to consider President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s new draft law on NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) on Thursday, July 31. According to an explanatory note, the bill aims to strengthen the institutional independence of NABU and SAPO and “provide reliable protection of their activities from the influence and interference of the aggressor state.”

Controversial Law No. 12414

On July 22, the Verkhovna Rada passed draft law No. 12414, which critics say undermines the independence of NABU and SAPO. President Zelenskyy signed the bill into law the same evening, and it came into force on July 23 after publication in Holos Ukrainy, the parliament’s official newspaper.

The law, introduced by Servant of the People MP Maksym Buzhanskyi, includes amendments to the Criminal Code that significantly expand the powers of the Prosecutor General. Under the new provisions, the Prosecutor General can:

• reassign NABU cases to other investigative bodies;

• act as the de facto head of SAPO and delegate the powers of SAPO prosecutors to others;

• issue mandatory written instructions to NABU detectives;

• unilaterally close investigations into high-ranking officials.

SAPO’s procedural autonomy is also significantly curtailed under the law.

The legislation triggered protests in Kyiv and several other cities, including Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro and Ivano-Frankivsk, on the evening of July 22. Demonstrations intensified on July 23–24, with calls for the president to veto the bill.

Despite public outcry, Zelenskyy signed the bill and later released a video message stating that NABU and SAPO would continue operating. He defended the law as a necessary step to "cleanse the anti-corruption infrastructure of Russian influence."

In response to the criticism, Zelenskyy submitted a new draft law to Parliament, saying it would “strengthen the law enforcement system” and protect NABU and SAPO from foreign interference.