Protests erupt in Ukraine as Zelenskyy signs corruption law rollback

Last night the Ukrainian government suddenly passed a law that defangs anti-corruption institutions. Mariana and Tanya attended the largest protests since the start of the war.

Editor’s Note: We had another story ready for publication today, but the protests that erupted suddenly yesterday in Ukraine deserve your attention more.

The Counteroffensive’s Ukrainian staff encouraged us to cover what started as just a domestic news item – a legislative bill being adopted – that has now become a major headache for the Zelenskyy administration.

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Yesterday my colleague Tanya and I participated in a rally opposing Zelenskyy’s signature on a controversial piece of legislation.

The bill, passed by the legislature and signed by Zelenskyy last night, would roll back the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies – a legacy of the Maidan Revolution and everything that has been fought for before and since.

To many around the world, Zelenskyy is a hero. And to be fair, his presidency has fallen during the most difficult times in Ukraine’s history.

But if anyone makes decisions that go against the interests of Ukrainians, common folks will take to the streets in protest — even against saints.

People protesting against the new law in front of the Presidential Office.

The law, which restricts the autonomy of anti-corruption government bodies that can prosecute top officials, is a major step backward for Ukrainians on their path toward European integration, a major priority for people in this country.

It’s a move that could also reduce foreign support which is critical to the fight against Russia.

That’s why thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in Kyiv and other major cities, the largest wave of protests against the government since the full-scale invasion began.

This moment shows that the fight for freedom and democracy is not just a war against Russia. It’s resistance against anyone who threatens those values, even if it’s your own government.

Power belongs to the people, and the president and government are merely its executors.

After the paywall:

• How Ukraine’s government managed to pass the new law and why it threatens Ukraine's future;

• How the protests in Kyiv went;

• Why corruption in Ukraine has always been commonplace and how Ukrainians have fought against it;

• Why Zelenskyy will never be an untouchable, unimpeachable politician in Ukraine.