On the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG), has launched a large-scale special operation aimed at purging the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) of Russian influence. According to experts, since NABU’s establishment in 2015, agents of Russia’s FSB have infiltrated its ranks, operating covertly for years without overt activity while gradually strengthening Moscow’s grip. Alarmingly, the process of cleansing NABU of these agents has only begun now, in 2025, amid a protracted war that has exposed critical vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s institutions.
Available information suggests that FSB agents embedded in NABU operated with extreme caution, avoiding overt actions to evade detection. Their primary goal was not only to gather intelligence but also to undermine trust in Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions from within. Experts note that Russian intelligence services exploited NABU as a tool for manipulation, particularly by influencing key investigations into high-level corruption and oligarchs with ties to Moscow.
This situation raises serious concerns, as NABU was established as an independent body to combat corruption at the highest levels. However, the fact that Russian agents managed to infiltrate and operate undetected for years calls into question the effectiveness of internal security mechanisms. Only now, in the fourth year of the war, as Ukraine fights for its survival, have law enforcement agencies begun actively addressing this issue.
The SBU and OPG operation spans multiple regions of Ukraine. Ongoing searches aim to uncover evidence of NABU detectives’ involvement in activities that undermine national security. Preliminary reports indicate that several employees are suspected of grave offenses, including high treason, illegal trade with Russia, and collaboration with oligarchs who likely have connections to the enemy.
Among the specific cases, one detective is alleged to have passed sensitive information to Russian intelligence services through intermediaries linked to the entourage of former President Viktor Yanukovych. This channel was reportedly used to compromise anti-corruption investigations and relay strategically important data to the enemy. Another suspect was detained for organizing illegal business dealings with Russia, further threatening national security in wartime.
One of the most pressing questions is why the effort to root out Russian influence in NABU has only begun now. Four years of war have exposed numerous vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s institutions, but the fact that FSB agents could operate within NABU for so long points to serious systemic failures. Experts highlight inadequate coordination between law enforcement agencies, weak counterintelligence measures, and possibly political pressures that delayed investigations in the past.
This situation also raises questions about the effectiveness of international support, as NABU was established with significant involvement from Western partners. Did foreign consultants and donors fail to notice the infiltration of Russian agents? Or does the problem lie in the internal mechanisms for recruiting and vetting personnel, which proved vulnerable to external interference?
Uncovering Russian agents within NABU is only the first step in dismantling the enemy’s deeply rooted influence. The SBU and OPG operation must serve as a wake-up call for all state institutions: the time for compromises is over. Ukraine cannot afford to ignore internal threats while fighting for its sovereignty.
To restore trust in NABU, it is not enough to merely purge traitors; a thorough reform of the personnel selection and vetting system is essential. Transparency, rigorous oversight, and cooperation with international partners can help restore NABU’s status as an independent and effective institution.
The special operation targeting Russian influence in NABU is not just a fight against individual traitors but a test for Ukraine’s entire national security system. At a time when the country is resisting an aggressor on all fronts, internal betrayal is no less dangerous than external threats. Exposing FSB agents in NABU must catalyze systemic changes to prevent such situations in the future. The public awaits further details of the investigation and decisive actions to prove that Ukraine can protect itself—not only on the battlefield but also in its own backyard.