Ukraine’s long fight against corruption took another high-profile turn this week as its leading anti-corruption agencies unveiled fresh cases involving both the judiciary and the country’s state-owned rail operator. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) accused a Kyiv judge of illicit enrichment and announced the completion of an investigation into embezzlement worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at Ukrzaliznytsia.

These moves are not isolated legal maneuvers. They are part of Ukraine’s wider battle to reassure European partners, preserve its democratic credentials, and maintain access to vital financial assistance. At a time when the country faces existential threats on the battlefield, Kyiv is also waging a parallel war against the deeply entrenched culture of graft that has long undermined its governance.

According to investigators, the Kyiv judge in question acquired two plots of land and a house in the Kyiv region in 2021 with an estimated value of $900,000. NABU officials allege the judge’s declared income could not possibly account for such purchases, raising suspicions of illicit enrichment and false declarations.

These are not minor charges. Since their creation in the wake of the 2014 Maidan revolution, NABU and SAP have placed illicit enrichment at the center of their agenda. For Ukraine, proving that even members of the judiciary can be held accountable is essential to building trust in state institutions. The charges carry the potential for prison terms, confiscation of property, and disqualification from holding public office.

The agencies, however, have refrained from disclosing the judge’s name or current judicial role, citing legal procedure. The case will proceed........

© Blitz