HUR Warns of Russian Influence in Ongoing Anti-Graft Protests

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has warned that Russia may seek to destabilize the country by exploiting the ongoing public protests sparked by Kyiv’s passage of a controversial bill.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill 12414 on Tuesday, which effectively stripped the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) of their independence, after the bill was passed in lightning speed earlier the same day. 

The decision sparked major protests in Ukraine, a rare occurrence during wartime, with critics arguing that the bill could roll back years of anti-corruption progress and impact the country’s path to the EU. 

HUR, in a Wednesday statement, said Moscow could utilize the public dissent – which arose from the government’s decision to pass the bill despite public opposition – to discredit Ukraine and affect Western support. 

“According to HUR, Russia intends to discredit Ukraine in the world in order to weaken or destroy Western support for the armed struggle against the aggressor,” the agency said in a statement. 

HUR added that Moscow could use it as a chance to further destabilize the nation at war. 

“To increase the level of protests, deepen the polarization and chaos of Ukrainian society, and, as a result, the loss of stability of the state during an existential war, provocative actions inspired by Moscow are not excluded,” HUR added. 

Other Topics of Interest

Putin Signals Shift on Ukraine Talks, Revives Istanbul Framework

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin says Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine based on the earlier Istanbul framework, even as he labels Kyiv’s leadership “neo-Nazi” and rejects current terms.

HUR also noted that Ukraine remains actively at war, and Russia is exploiting every possible avenue to undermine it.

Zelensky said the controversial bill was intended to curb Russian influence within Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies – a threat NABU itself acknowledged after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raided NABU and SAPO offices on Monday.

The SBU later arrested NABU officials accused of having ties to Russia.

Following the nationwide protests on Tuesday, Zelensky said he had a “frank and constructive conversation” with the heads of anti-graft and law enforcement agencies, adding that a “joint action plan” will be developed next week to address public concerns. 

“We all hear what society is saying. We see what people expect from state institutions – ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution. We discussed the necessary administrative and legislative decisions that would strengthen the work of each institution, resolve existing contradictions, and eliminate threats,” Zelensky wrote in a Wednesday X update. 

“We agreed that next week, there will be an in-depth working meeting on the joint action plan. And in two weeks, a joint plan must be ready – outlining the steps that are needed and will be implemented to strengthen Ukraine, resolve existing issues, deliver greater justice, and truly protect the interests of Ukrainian society,” he added. 

A second day of nationwide protests is planned for Wednesday, a day following the passage of the controversial bill.