The authorities’ prosecution of Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) and a member of the Ukrainian army, has caused serious uproar in Ukrainian civil society. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) accuses the well-known activist, who claims that the case is a political vendetta, of fraud and evading military service. The charges allege that Shabunin left his post for extended periods while continuing to receive military allowances and using a vehicle he received as humanitarian aid for personal purposes. The AntAC strongly rejects the allegations, citing lawful orders and Shabunin’s actual service as proof of its legitimacy.
According to the NGO’s leader, Daria Kaleniuk, the allegations are part of a smear campaign against Oleh Tatarov, an influential official in the president’s office who has been accused of corruption in the past. The searches also included raids on Shabunin’s military base and his home, without the presence of a lawyer or a court order, which also raises serious legal concerns.
Developments have raised growing concerns that Ukraine is quietly rolling back anti-corruption reforms under the cover of war. In a post on July 12th, Shabunin condemned several controversial moves by President Volodymyr Zelensky, the presidential administration, and the Servant of the People party, including a new draft law on corruption in defence procurement. “Zelensky is taking his first steps towards authoritarianism in the shadow of war,” he said.
The draft law seeks to shield companies engaged in defense contracts—and those on a secret Ministry of Defense list—from criminal prosecution. Anti-corruption activists say the bill would undermine the rule of law, lead to increased corruption, and potentially undermine Ukraine’s defence capabilities. They also accuse the authorities of trying to stifle critics of the bill.
Human rights activists fear that political authorities are using the state of war to break civil oversight and reverse the anti-corruption gains of recent years.
