Kyiv, Ukraine – Crowds gathered in the capital on Wednesday to protest after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a controversial bill affecting the country’s anti-corruption institutions.

Video of the protest was recorded by X user Другорядний антигерой.

The new law gives the prosecutor general authority over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap).

Critics say the move weakens the independence of these agencies.

In his address, Zelensky said both bodies would continue to function but needed to be cleared of “Russian influence.”

Following the bill’s approval, hundreds assembled in Kyiv in what became the largest anti-government demonstration since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Protests also broke out in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.

Some signs read, “We chose Europe, not autocracy,” and “My father did not die for this.”

Chief prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko will now have the power to reassign or even shut down corruption investigations.

Zelensky criticized the existing system, claiming corruption cases had remained inactive for too long.

“There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been ‘hanging’ for years,” he said.

He added that the prosecutor general would ensure lawbreakers face consequences.

The legislation has sparked alarm among Ukraine’s Western allies.

Guillaume Mercier, spokesperson for the European Commission, said the EU is “concerned about Ukraine’s recent actions” and emphasized that aid is tied to democratic reforms.

Marta Kos, the EU enlargement commissioner, said the changes marked a “serious step back.”

Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka responded by stating that all core anti-corruption functions remain intact.

Dmytro Kuleba called it a “bad day for Ukraine.”

G7 ambassadors are requesting discussions with Ukrainian leaders regarding pressure on Nabu and Sap.

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