Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Agency (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) announced four arrests in connection with a large-scale corruption scheme involving the procurement of military drones and signal jamming systems. The suspects, including a sitting lawmaker, two local officials, and National Guard personnel, allegedly received kickbacks of up to 30% of contract amounts.
The arrest comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was criticized for trying to take away the agencies’ independence last month. However, he later submitted a bill restoring their autonomy, which was passed by lawmakers on Thursday. The European Union had expressed concerns about curbing the powers of Ukraine’s antigraft authorities.
Zelenskyy praised the anti-corruption agencies in a statement, saying they were “grateful to their work”. This comes as Ukraine continues to push for European Union membership and has faced challenges in reforming its government and institutions.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/2/ukraine-says-defence-sector-corruption-scheme-uncovered