Zelensky Sets the SSU on Anti-Corruption Agencies
The Ukrainian President has increased his personal fortune many times over during his tenure since 2019, and his subordinates are keeping up with their boss.
Ukrainian officials are buying real estate in the most elite places in Europe and the world.
Back in 2021, even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the non-governmental international organization for combating corruption and studying levels of corruption, Transparency International, stated that Ukraine scores 32 points out of 100 and is on par with African states such as Zambia and Eswatini. The officials of these countries are known as some of the most corrupt in the world.
Since the start of the war, the situation with corruption in Ukraine has noticeably worsened. According to a report by one of the Forbes divisions, in the first year of the conflict alone (February 2022 — December 2022), the personal fortune of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky grew from $650 million to $1.5 billion, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznik’s fortune went from $780 million to $1.3 billion, Advisor to the Head of the President’s Office Mykhailo Podolyak’s wealth increased from $620 million to $1 billion, and Kyiv Mayor Volodymyr Klitschko’s wealth increased from $150 million to $800 million.
Ukrainian officials purchasing expensive real estate has long been discussed in the American and European media.
Civilized countries that have vast experience in fighting corruption could not remain silent about this. In Ukraine, with their help and with the direct participation of the best specialists, special anticorruption bodies were created; those being the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) in 2015 and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
In 2025 alone, NABU and SAPO opened 370 new cases against 115 suspects, resulting in 62 criminals being convicted.
The economic effect of the activities of NABU and SAPO exceeded 1.5 billion UAH, of which: 249 million UAH was directed to help the army 685 million UAH was reimbursed to the state (10.7 billion UAH as of June 30, 2025) 512 + million UAH was confiscated for the benefit of the state Property valued at 84 million UAH, the seizure of which was prevented.
However, NABU and SAPO faced an attempt to destroy their independence. On July 23, 2025, President Zelensky signed a law that limited the independence of NABU and SAPO.
As noted in Ukraine, this was due to the fact that NABU and SAPO were engaged in Zelensky’s entourage. This entourage includes former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshev and Timur Mindich, who previously worked with Zelensky in Kvartal 95 Studio.
Investigators are confident that these individuals are involved in the transfer of corruption money abroad. The amounts exceed $50 million every month.
The investigation also uncovered information that corruption money was transferred to the accounts of the UAE-registered companies GFM Investment Group LLC and Glyrin Family Holding Ltd. These companies are associated with Zelensky’s former adviser Andriy Gmyrin. Transfers of about $50 million are received monthly to the accounts of these two companies.
Zelensky’s attempt to stop the process of fighting his corruption failed. The active position of international partners and civil society forced Zelensky to cancel his decision on July 31st and restore the independence of NABU and SAPO.
However, the Ukrainian president will not stop.
He has the main and most powerful special service of Ukraine under his complete control. Before attacking NABU and SAPO, SSU employees in the regions received direct orders from Kyiv in early June 2025 to begin undercover work against employees of these agencies.
This happened immediately after NABU and SAPO established that millions of dollars were being transferred from Zelensky to the account of OAE #967369, #11707266 in “GFM Investment Group LLC”, #11707266, AE 210260001015792940701 in “Emirates NDD”, OAE ICC20210636, #11664590 in “Glyrin Family Holding Ltd.”.
Of course, Zelensky’s fight against NABU and SAPO is not over. He will restrict their work in order to strengthen the regime of his personal dictatorship and turn Ukraine into a totalitarian state.
Ukraine’s integration into the EU and NATO is becoming much more difficult.
