The announcements by the National Anti Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), in cooperation with the Specialized Anti Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), mark one of the most serious political crises in Kyiv in recent years.
According to official data, following a multi year covert operation, an organized criminal group was uncovered, allegedly involving sitting members of parliament.
The charge is severe: systematic receipt of illegal benefits in exchange for votes in the Ukrainian parliament.
This is a case that does not remain within the bounds of ordinary political corruption, but reaches the very core of power, since, according to parliamentary sources and political leaks, the investigations are reportedly turning toward individuals directly connected to President Volodymyr Zelensky and his close entourage.
Raid by authorities in the Ukrainian Parliament
The MP of the Golos party, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, who maintains a close relationship with NABU, made clear insinuations that the “group of MPs” uncovered by the anti corruption authorities is connected to circles close to Sergey Shefir, a close friend and long time associate of Zelensky.
At the center of suspicion is the MP of the presidential party Servant of the People, Yuri Kisel.
This information was further reinforced by the MP of European Solidarity, Alexei Goncharenko, who confirmed that NABU is conducting investigative actions in premises of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), specifically in the facilities of the Transport Committee. This detail carries particular weight, since the chair of that committee is Kisel himself.
Who is Yuri Kisel and why it matters
Yuri Kisel is not an ordinary MP.
In addition to serving as chair of the Transport Committee, he holds the position of deputy head of the presidential parliamentary group and also leads the regional organization of the Servant of the People party in Dnepropetrovsk.
In other words, he is a pivotal figure within Zelensky’s power structure, both at national and regional level.
The potential involvement of such a central figure in a bribery case concerning parliamentary votes raises serious questions about decision making in Ukraine, and about whether the presidential camp can credibly claim to represent a radical break with the old, corrupt political system, as it promised during the election campaign.
Shadows around the “Kvartal 95” circle
Ukrainian media attach particular weight to information about investigations also involving Yuri Koryavchenkov, another friend of Zelensky from the period of their joint presence at the television studio Kvartal 95.
Although NABU officially denied that investigations are being conducted at Koryavchenkov’s home, the mere fact that his name is being mentioned shows how deeply the case reaches into the presidential entourage.
Kvartal 95 is not merely a chapter in Zelensky’s artistic life, but the social and political nucleus from which many of the individuals who now hold key positions in the state emerged.
The transformation of an entertainment group into a political power mechanism was controversial from the outset, today it appears to be returning as a structural problem of governance.
Resistance to investigations and institutional conflict
One of the most alarming elements of the case is NABU’s allegation that employees of the State Security Service are resisting investigative actions within parliamentary committees.
This information suggests not merely political pressure, but a potential institutional conflict between organs of the state.
If it is confirmed that state services are actively obstructing investigations against MPs, then the case takes on dimensions that go beyond corruption and touch upon the very functioning of the rule of law in Ukraine.
Multi year surveillance and “salaries in envelopes”
According to previous revelations, NABU reportedly monitored Kisel for more than two years.
During this period, conversations with Sergey Shefir are said to have been recorded, as well as practices such as the payment of “salaries in envelopes” to MPs, a method reminiscent of older, darker models of political transaction.
Even more revealing are reports claiming that Shefir, following the departure of businessman Timur Mindich, controls key schemes for the “exploitation” of state resources and budgetary flows, as well as critical sectors of state owned enterprises.
If these allegations are confirmed, then the case does not concern isolated MPs, but an entire mechanism of power and economic influence.
A blow to Zelensky himself
If NABU indeed proceeds with arrests or formal charges against Kisel and other figures from the same circle, the blow will not be merely parliamentary or partisan.
It will constitute a direct удар to Zelensky’s inner circle, calling into question his ability to maintain control and influence over the political and economic processes of the country.
The timing is critical: Ukraine is under enormous international pressure, depends heavily on western financing and military assistance, and its image as a state that is “reforming” and fighting corruption constitutes a core argument toward its international partners.
Explosive mixture
The case unfolding around NABU is not yet complete, but it already reveals structural weaknesses of Ukrainian political power.
The potential involvement of MPs from the ruling party, their connection to the close presidential circle, allegations of systematic bribery and indications of institutional obstruction of investigations form an explosive mixture.
If the investigation proceeds to the end, it may either become a turning point toward genuine cleansing or the beginning of a deeper political crisis.
In any case, one thing is clear: the narrative of a “new, incorruptible Ukraine” is being severely tested, this time not by external enemies, but by the very interior of power itself.
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