Whistleblowers assist NABU in Tymoshenko bribery investigation

On Jan. 13, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) announced that they uncovered the head of one of the parliamentary political parties who allegedly offered bribes to MPs in exchange for voting for or against specific draft laws.

On Jan. 14, Tymoshenko confirmed that searches were conducted at the Batkivshchyna party office, calling them illegal and rejecting all accusations. Ukrainska Pravda journalist Mykhailo Tkach reported that NABU formally served Tymoshenko with a notice of suspicion. The Anti-Corruption Action Center recalled that on July 22, 2025, Tymoshenko voted for a bill aimed at eliminating NABU and SAPO independence.

That same day, NABU confirmed the delivery of the notice of suspicion and published audio recordings in which the suspect discusses bribes to MPs.

NABU said the case does not involve isolated agreements, but rather a regular cooperation mechanism that involved advance payments and was designed for long-term use.

In the released recordings, a voice believed to belong to Tymoshenko discusses the alleged bribe amounts — specifically, “ten for two sessions” for each person. The voice also gives instructions on how to vote on specific draft bills, including those related to appointments and dismissals.

The recordings are dated Jan. 12, 2026.

The investigation is being conducted under Part 4 of Article 369 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. If found guilty, those involved face between five and ten years in prison with confiscation of property.