NABU REPORT
FIRST HALF 2022
ON TWO FRONTS
The National Bureau had a productive start of the year marked by exposure of an MP, a deputy of the Kyiv City Council, PGO officials. However, with russia’s all-out invasion, we had to adapt to the new reality. From the first day of the big war, NABU employees joined the resistance. We recorded russian war crimes, helped take the Ukrainian military out of the threat of shelling, collected and communicated the geolocation of enemy units, ensured the safety of the capital and demined territories. Some of our team decided to join the Armed Forces and are now taking part in hostilities. However, we never stopped to investigate top corruption. No criminal proceedings were closed because of the war. We launched 163 investigations, notified 38 persons of suspicion, ensured the transfer of funds seized and posted in bail in criminal proceedings to the needs of the Armed Forces. All this against the backdrop of cut in expenses for expert examinations and translations, the non-appearance and sometimes manipulations of suspects and defendants, the absence of SAPO head, the end of the tenure of the first NABU Director, Artem Sytnyk. I thank everyone – the Bureau team, international partners, NGOs, volunteers – for joining forces in the fight against the enemy and corruption. I am sure we will succeed! The fight goes on. Until victory!
In February 2022, russia unleashed its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office stood up for the defense of the country and have been fighting in the hottest spots since then. Despite 12 Prosecutors’ serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces, 20 indictments were referred to the court in the first half of the year. In order to ensure compensation for damages in these proceedings, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office initiated the seizure of UAH 1.9 billion. Part of the indictments resulted in 11 sentences, while seven more were upheld in the appeals court. Meanwhile, the cooperation between anti-corruption agencies in implementing the mechanism of civil confiscation continues bear fruit - the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office came up with two more lawsuits to recognize assets as ill-gotten and have them confiscated. The war impedes judicial process, as the threat to life forces many to change their place of residence and makes the court attendance impossible. However, despite all the challenges brought by the war, SAPO Prosecutors continue to fight corruption.
WAR
From the first day of the full-scale russian invasion, the National Bureau joined the fight against the enemy. In the conditions of martial law, NABU was primarily involved in helping the Armed Forces, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (DIU), the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), and the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.
On Feb. 25, 2022, the National Bureau formed an operational-combat combined (non-staff) unit consisting of special operations fighters, over 100 Detectives, and other NABU employees.
INVESTIGATION
russia’s aggression against Ukraine took the fight against corruption to a new level. The ability to provide a fitting rebuff to the enemy and rebuild the country depends on the efficient use of resources and the help of partners.
At the beginning of 2022, NABU set a high pace of work: in JanuaryFebruary, the Detectives exposed an MP, a deputy of the Kyiv City Council, and officials of the General Prosecutor’s Office. Overall, during January-March 2022, 16 persons were notified of suspicion compared to six persons in the first half of 2021.
INTERACTION
NABU’s effective communication with the public and international partners helps expose corruption and oppose the aggressor
Since the start of its work in 2015, the National Bureau has demonstrated a qualitatively different approach to interaction with society, practicing openness, transparency, and cooperation. In 7 years, NABU has formed a network of ambassadors of anti-corruption reform both inside the country and abroad. With the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, this resource was used to counter the aggressor
CHALLENGES
The new reality brought by the full-scale invasion of russia have complicated the investigation and trial of NABU’s cases
Of all indictments sent to court in the first half of 2022, 75 percent fell on the period after February 24. Since the beginning of the war, the Detectives of the National Bureau completed 17 investigations and disclosed the case files to the defense for review.
APPENDICES
These appendices contain statistical information on the NABU activities in the second half of 2021 as required by Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine “On the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine”
