Zelensky’s New Anti-Corruption Bill Includes Polygraph Tests for Officials With Ties to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a new draft law aimed at restoring the independence of anti-corruption agencies will require polygraph tests for officials who have relatives in Russia.

Speaking to journalists in Kyiv on Friday, Zelensky said the tests would be done every two years to help protect agencies like the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) from possible Russian influence.

Zelensky submitted the bill to parliament on July 24, just two days after he signed a separate law that strips the country’s anti-corruption agencies of their independence, placing them under the Prosecutor General’s Office authority.

That law was widely criticized by civil society groups and sparked protests in cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv.

The president admitted he should have discussed the earlier law more openly before signing it.

“Maybe there should have been more dialogue,” he said. “But right now, the main focus is the war. The top issue in Ukraine is the war. The main enemy is Russia.”

Zelensky said he had heard the concerns of protesters who demanded that the independence of anti-corruption agencies be protected.

“It’s very important to listen to what people are saying,” he said.

“I respect the opinion of society. People said everything must follow the law – and I think it’s right that we listen and respond.”

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NABU also responded to the draft law, saying it does not create new risks for the agency’s work.

According to an official statement, posted by NABU on Telegram, the polygraph requirement will apply only to staff with access to state secrets, and the tests will be conducted by NABU’s Internal Control Department — not by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

The agency said polygraph use is already standard practice. In 2024, NABU conducted around 200 such tests. Staff members are typically tested during internal investigations, appointments, and reappointments.

“This is a tool for internal integrity, not a new innovation,” NABU said. “It is important that the methodology for these checks, approved by both NABU and the SBU, rules out any risk of interference in operations or pressure on employees.”