Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies opened an investigation into unnamed lawmakers and presidential advisers on 19 August 2026, just hours before parliament was due to vote on a new defence minister. The timing has intensified pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is already contending with a political challenge from his sacked former defence minister and questions about wartime governance.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sapo) gave no further details about the scope of the inquiry, according to . The announcement landed shortly before the Verkhovna Rada was scheduled to consider Yevhen Khmara as the new defence minister, a nomination that followed Zelenskyy's removal of his predecessor, Mykhailo Fedorov.
Who is being investigated?
Neither Nabu nor Sapo named the lawmakers or advisers under scrutiny in their initial statement. However, according to a report from a Ukrainian news outlet, the operation is described as sweeping in scope, with deputy presidential office head Iryna Mudra and lawmaker Vadym Stolar named as people of interest. The raid adds to a pattern of scrutiny around figures connected to Zelenskyy's inner circle; earlier reporting noted that Ukraine's former ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, had already been drawn into a separate anti-corruption case in early August, according to a European broadcaster's coverage.
The new raid also follows a 15-month investigation by Nabu and Sapo into Ukraine's energy sector, known as Operation Midas, which had already exposed a wider corruption scandal touching senior officials and former insiders, according to an analysis piece.
Why is Fedorov's dismissal still causing problems?
On the evening of 18 August 2026, Fedorov called for a wartime presidential election, marking the most direct political challenge to Zelenskyy since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. In a nine-minute video address, the former minister argued that Ukraine needed to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war.
Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. We are fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state.
Fedorov's removal last month triggered street protests and exposed rifts within the cabinet, as detailed in earlier coverage of the backlash following the reshuffle. Demonstrations over his sacking had already intensified in the preceding weeks, with protesters also demanding the removal of army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to reporting on the growing dispute over Syrskyi's future.
Would an election even be feasible right now?
Ukrainian political analyst Artem Bronzhukov questioned the practicality of holding elections while Russian bombing continues.
Today there is no clear understanding of how to ensure people's safety in the context of a full-scale war.
Bronzhukov said there is a fairly deep-rooted view within Ukrainian society that elections are necessary, but only once the most intense phase of the war has ended. He described Ukraine as a warring democracy, confirmed precisely by the protests taking place after Fedorov's resignation from the government.
Polling conducted by the Socis Centre for Social Research at the end of July found that Fedorov would place third in a first-round presidential vote with 13.1% support, trailing Zelenskyy on 22.3% and former armed forces chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, now Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom, on 21.4%. The same poll suggested Zelenskyy would lose a run-off to either Fedorov or Zaluzhnyi under Ukraine's two-round voting system. Any election would also have to account for the millions of Ukrainians displaced or exiled since 2022, more than a million people serving in the armed forces, and roughly a fifth of the country's territory currently under Russian occupation.
What is happening with the defence and foreign ministry posts?
The defence and foreign affairs portfolios have remained vacant since parliament approved the rest of the cabinet in mid-July, according to a European broadcaster's report. A parliamentary committee has already backed Yevhen Khmara for defence minister, according to a regional news outlet, while Andrii Sybiha has been put forward as the nominee for foreign minister.
What happens next?
The Verkhovna Rada is expected to hold a plenary session on 19 August 2026 to formally decide on both the defence and foreign minister nominations, according to a Ukrainian news outlet. This session represents the next formal decision point in the cabinet reshuffle that began with Fedorov's dismissal last month.
Separately, Russian forces struck a cargo vessel carrying military cargo in the Black Sea near the Ukrainian port of Odesa, according to Russia's defence ministry, as reported by via the Interfax news agency. Overnight, at least four people died in Russian attacks on Ukraine after a drone struck a bus in the southern city of Kherson. Ukraine responded by sending hundreds of drones toward targets inside Russia, with Moscow claiming it shot down 453 of them.
Key Facts
- Nabu and Sapo opened a new corruption investigation on 19 August 2026, hours before a parliamentary vote on cabinet nominations.
- Named people of interest reportedly include deputy presidential office head Iryna Mudra and lawmaker Vadym Stolar.
- Fedorov called for a wartime presidential election on 18 August 2026, the most direct challenge to Zelenskyy since 2022.
- Polling shows Zelenskyy leading the first round but losing a run-off to either Fedorov or Zaluzhnyi.
- Parliament is due to vote on Yevhen Khmara for defence minister and Andrii Sybiha for foreign minister on 19 August 2026.
