Allegations of Bribery Surface Against Former Ukrainian Prime Minister
A former prime minister of Ukraine has been accused of attempting to bribe politicians with significant amounts of U.S. dollars, a move intended to undermine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, according to a former political adviser.
The Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau (UNACB) confirmed on January 13 that it was investigating claims that an unidentified faction leader attempted to offer illegal benefits to members of parliament. A video from the UNACB showcased stacks of U.S. dollars obtained during a raid, along with footage of a woman in an office setting. However, authorities have yet to identify the suspect involved.
Reportedly, recordings have surfaced that suggest three lawmakers were offered $10,000 monthly to vote in a particular way, a scheme some are linking to Yulia Tymoshenko, who is not only a veteran politician but also a former prime minister and current leader of the Batkivshchina Party.
Yulia Mendel, who served as press secretary for President Zelensky, indicated to news sources that the seized cash likely belonged to Tymoshenko and was meant as payment for lawmakers to oppose the president’s legislative initiatives. “From what law enforcement has reported, these kinds of transactions in Ukraine often happen in U.S. dollars,” she noted. “The money visible in the video was allegedly her personal savings,” she added.
Mendel described the $40,000 in the video as relatively modest, especially in the context of other corruption cases in Ukraine that can involve millions. She mentioned that authorities remained at Tymoshenko’s party office almost all night after the raid.
Moreover, the accusations seem to suggest that various lawmakers, reportedly from Zelensky’s own faction, approached Tymoshenko to negotiate regular monthly payments in exchange for a coordinated voting strategy.
Even as the investigations commenced, Tymoshenko addressed parliament, dismissing the allegations as a form of political persecution. On social media, she criticized the so-called “urgent investigative actions,” suggesting they were unrelated to maintaining law and order.
Mendel clarified that disrupting the ruling majority in parliament, rather than personally targeting Zelensky, appeared to be the objective of these actions.
Tymoshenko, a central figure in Ukraine’s political landscape, previously faced legal challenges in 2011 in a case perceived as politically motivated. Now, she is scheduled to appear before the High Court for the Prevention of Corruption.
Mendel stressed that corruption significantly harms Ukraine’s international reputation and warns that it undermines efforts in the ongoing conflict. “Disclosures like this will bring the corruption issue back into focus,” she warned, predicting that by 2024, corruption could escalate in such a way that Ukrainians may be forced to address it more publicly.
As of now, inquiries have been made to President Zelensky’s office regarding these developments.
