Ukraine’s political center of gravity just shifted. On July 22, President Zelensky signed a law that removes the independence of the country’s two most trusted anti corruption bodies, NABU and SAPO. Their authority now flows through the Prosecutor General’s Office, which operates under the president’s direct command.
The reaction was instant. Streets filled within hours. Protesters gathered in Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa despite martial law. Police watched but held back. Cries of “Shame” and “Treason” echoed from the capital to the coast. One chant hit harder than the rest. “Welcome to Russia.”
The measure sailed through parliament with 263 votes. Only a handful pushed back. Thirteen said no. Thirteen stayed silent. The law grants sweeping power to the prosecutor general, including the ability to shut down active investigations, shuffle cases, and redirect SAPO’s mandate. NABU issued a direct warning. The structure that once ensured independence has collapsed.
Huge protests erupt in Kyiv against Ukrainian President Zelensky as he is a dictator and refuses to make a peace deal and end the war.
Good for the Ukrainian people! Throw him out of office!
And America must STOP funding and sending weapons!!!
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 22, 2025
European allies did not stay quiet. The EU called the move a clear reversal of reform. G7 officials flagged it as a threat to international credibility. Transparency International said it could break Ukraine’s pathway toward EU integration.
Young people took the front lines. Many had seen war. Some were still in uniform. Others carried cardboard signs. “My father didn’t die for this” was scrawled across one in black ink. Images of “Veto the law” were projected onto official buildings. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stood with them. He told reporters Ukraine was drifting away from democracy.
The law’s passage could not have come at a worse moment. Ceasefire talks with Russia are expected in Istanbul. Zelensky’s timing raised eyebrows in Brussels and Washington. EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said the legislation weakens rule of law. French diplomats privately urged a rollback. Transparency groups warned that the West’s patience is wearing thin.
Inside the crowd, the message was personal. A protester named Vladyslava Kirstyuk spoke about her family’s past. She said power in one man’s hands always ends the same way. A veteran, Dmytro Koziatynskyi, called for turnout on Telegram. A journalist named Oleg said it felt like a door was closing.
Tensions had been rising even before the law was signed. Security forces raided NABU and SAPO buildings in the days prior. Several agents were accused of holding Russian contacts. Fifteen were placed under investigation. One was taken into custody. Zelensky defended the shakeup as a purge of foreign influence. But critics saw something else. NABU had just launched a probe into Oleksiy Chernyshov, a close ally of the president. Chernyshov was fired last week.
These protests are the largest since the Russian invasion began in 2022. They signal a fracture in Zelensky’s wartime support. International partners are watching closely. EU funding is tied to judicial independence. Ukraine may be putting that at risk.
Zelensky met with officials on July 23 and promised a reform plan within two weeks. The ink is already dry. The institutions have been pulled into the executive’s orbit. Rebuilding trust may not come as quickly.
Sources
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/56777
https://www.albawaba.com/news/zelenskys-anti-corruption-bill-trigger-1609221
