Yuliia Tymoshenko. Photo: social media
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies conclude probe into party leader Tymoshenko over alleged bribery of MPs
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have reported that a pre-trial investigation in the case against Yuliia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Batkivshchyna party, on suspicion of offering bribes to members of parliament, ha
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The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have reported that a pre-trial investigation in the case against Yuliia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Batkivshchyna party, on suspicion of offering bribes to members of parliament, has been completed and that the case materials have been made available to her lawyers for review.
Quote: "NABU and SAPO have completed the pre-trial investigation against the head of a parliamentary faction of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament – ed.) of Ukraine. She is suspected of offering undue advantage to Members of Parliament of Ukraine."
Details: The anti-corruption bodies do not name the individual, but the reference is to Batkivshchyna leader Yuliia Tymoshenko.
The investigation established that in December 2025, despite NABU and SAPO's exposure of MPs receiving bribes, the suspect began negotiating with individual parliamentarians on a system of rewards for loyal voting.
This concerned a permanent mechanism of cooperation with advance payments. The MPs were to follow instructions on how to vote ("for" or "against"), abstain or not participate.
In January 2026, the head of the parliamentary faction was served with a notice of suspicion.
NABU detectives have made the case materials available to the defence for review today, on the prosecutor's instruction.
In accordance with Article 62.1 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt has been proved in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.
Background:
On the evening of 13 January, NABU and SAPO reported that they had exposed the head of a Verkhovna Rada faction on corruption charges; Ukrainska Pravda sources indicated that the person in question was Yuliia Tymoshenko.
On the morning of 14 January, sources in political circles told Ukrainska Pravda that the anti-corruption bodies had served Tymoshenko with a notice of suspicion.
In audio recordings released by NABU, a person alleged to be Yuliia Tymoshenko is heard discussing with an unnamed MP a system of payments for specific votes in the Verkhovna Rada.
Tymoshenko herself described the searches as "a grand PR stunt" and claimed it was a clear-out of political competitors ahead of elections. The politician asserts that the anti-corruption investigators "found nothing" and simply took her "work phones, parliamentary documents and personal savings, all which are fully declared in my official asset declaration". She also claims that the person on the recordings released by the anti-corruption investigators is not her.
Tymoshenko subsequently said in court that the recordings released by NABU had captured a conversation with Ihor Kopytin, an MP from the Servant of the People party, whom she claims was "carrying out assignments" from the bureau in order to compromise her. Kopytyn himself responded that he does not participate in political games and added that he "consistently supports the course towards fighting corruption".
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