Ukrainian opposition figure and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been implicated in a major anti-corruption probe, accused of orchestrating a scheme to bribe members of parliament. The allegations emerged after a late-night raid on the offices of her Fatherland party.
Raids and Allegations of Political Bribery
On Tuesday night, officers from Ukraine's Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sapo) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) conducted searches at the headquarters of Tymoshenko's political party. A spokesperson for Sapo confirmed on Wednesday that charges had been brought against the prominent opposition leader, though she has not been formally named by the authorities.
Investigators briefed Ukrainian media, alleging that Tymoshenko organised a plot to pay bribes to MPs, including some from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's own party, with the aim of undermining his parliamentary majority. The alleged scheme reportedly involved advance payments for a long-term cooperation, with instructions on how to vote on key issues relayed via the encrypted messaging app Signal.
Tymoshenko's Forceful Denial and Claims of Political Motives
Yulia Tymoshenko swiftly issued a public denial, releasing a statement on Facebook where she categorically rejected all accusations. She confirmed the raids had taken place but insisted they had "nothing to do with law or legality." Instead, she suggested the action was a politically motivated attempt to clear the field of competition, hinting at speculation about imminent national elections.
"It seems the elections are much closer than they appeared and someone has decided to start clearing out the competition," Tymoshenko stated. She claimed investigators found nothing illicit, seizing only her work phones, parliamentary documents, and fully declared personal savings.
The anti-corruption agencies released a video showing what appeared to be US dollar cash being seized during the searches. They also publicised an allegedly intercepted conversation between Tymoshenko and an unnamed MP. Tymoshenko denied any connection to the audio, vowing to prove the accusations groundless in court.
Broader Political Turmoil and Historical Context
This investigation unfolds against a backdrop of significant political upheaval in Ukraine. A series of high-profile corruption probes have recently targeted figures within President Zelenskyy's inner circle, leading to an ongoing political reshuffle. This turmoil is further exacerbated by the nation's ongoing defence against sustained Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure and growing speculation about potential elections should a ceasefire with Russia be achieved.
The specific allegations claim Tymoshenko sought to influence votes on dismissing key officials, including the head of the SBU security service, Vasyl Malyuk, Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The announcement follows a prior Nabu statement from a fortnight ago, which claimed the uncovering of a criminal conspiracy where MPs received cash for their parliamentary votes.
Tymoshenko, who holds 25 seats in the 450-member Verkhovna Rada, is a veteran of Ukraine's turbulent post-Soviet politics. She rose to international prominence during the 2004 Orange Revolution and was later imprisoned in 2011 on charges widely viewed as politically motivated under pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych. Notably, she was a vocal supporter of a controversial, now-withdrawn bill last year that sought to dismantle the very anti-corruption agencies now investigating her.
