Academic Scientific JournalsPreventing Political Corruption in Ukraine: Current State and Challenges During the War
Keywords:
political corruption, informal institutions, party financing and reporting, e-declaration, civil societyAbstract
Russia’s military aggression has intensified the issue of political corruption in Ukraine as new threats emerge. Ignoring this issue in the short term could significantly destabilize the system of state governance and, in turn, jeopardize Ukraine’s existence as an independent and democratic state. This study examines changes in the mechanisms for detecting and preventing political corruption in Ukraine under the full-scale Russian invasion, particularly in areas such as state funding of political parties, transparency of party finances, and officials' asset declarations. Despite security concerns, public attention to political corruption in Ukraine is growing. The absence of a systematic approach characterizes Ukraine's current political corruption prevention stage. Despite the war, an anti-corruption infrastructure has been established and is operational, with ongoing optimization of the relevant legal framework. On the other hand, informal practices that exhibit evident characteristics of political corruption continue to influence governance.
Downloads
References
Anishchenko, M., (2020), The concept, signs and types of corruption as a negative social phenomenon, Public Administration, (1), 6–11.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (1997), The Lima Declaration, Available at: https://zakon. rada.gov.ua/laws/show/998_090#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2014), Law of Ukraine On Prevention of Corruption, Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1700-18#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2015), Law of Ukraine On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Preventing and Counteracting Political Corruption, Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/731-VIII#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2020a), Law of Ukraine On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Aimed at Providing Additional Social and Economic Guarantees in Connection with the Spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/540-20#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2020b), Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine datedOctober 27, 2020 No. 13-р/2020 in the case on the constitutional submission of 47 people'sdeputies of Ukraine on the compliance with the Constitution of Ukraine (constitutionality) ofcertain provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention of Corruption", the Criminal Code ofUkraine, Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/v013p710-20#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2022), Law of Ukraine On Protection of Interests of Subjects of Reporting and Other Documents during the Period of Martial Law or State of War, Availableat: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2115-20#Text.
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2023), Law of Ukraine On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Improving State Financing and Control over the Activities of Political Parties, Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3337-20#Text.
Viktorchuk, M., Poliukhovych, M., (2023), Formation and development of anti-corruption legislation in Ukraine, Bulletin of Luhansk State University of Internal Affairs named after Eduard Didorenko, 4(104), 139-152, Available at: https://luhbulletin.dnuvs.ukr.education/ index.php/main/article/view/150/143.
Zabolotna, O., (2023), Is it worth fighting political corruption during war?, LB.ua, Available at: https://lb.ua/news/2023/10/07/578418_chi_varto_borotisya_z_politichnoyu.html.
Zelenko, H., (2025), Institutional Capacity Pitfalls in the System of State Power in Ukraine –Analytical Report, Kuras Institute of Political and Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, 64.
Klitina, O., (2023), Non-public declarations of officials during the war: why society is against it, Ukrinform, Available at: https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-society/3758369-ne-publicnideklaracii-cinovnikiv-pid-cas-vijni-comu-suspilstvo-proti.html.
Koretska-Shukievich, D., (2020), Analysis of theoretical approaches to the scientific understanding of the phenomenon of corruption, Law and Society, 2(2), 164–169.
Kushnarov, I. V., (2018), Political corruption as a system of illegal actions: variability of manifestations, Political life, (2), 50–54.
Matsiievskyi, Y. V., (2016), Trapped in Hybridity: Zigzags of Political Regime Transformations in Ukraine (1991–2014), Books – XXI, Chernivtsi, 553.
Melnyk, M., (2009), Political corruption: essence, factors, means of counteraction, Ukrainian Law Society, Available at: https://justice.org.ua/politika-i-pravo-podiji-fakti-komentari/politichna-koruptsiya-sutnist-chinniki-zasobi-protidiji.
Mysyshyn, O., (2023), Preventing political corruption in the conditions of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, Scientific works of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Political Science and Public Administration, 3(63), 70-77.
National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2022), Anti-corruption strategy for 2021–2025,
, Available at: https://nazk.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Antykoruptsijnastrategiya-na-2021-2025-rr.pdf.
National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2023a), Corruption in Ukraine 2023: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence. Report based on the results of a survey of the population and business, Available at: https://www.sapiens.com.ua/publications/socpolresearch/309/%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%A0%D0%A3%D0%9F%D0%A6%D0%86%D0%AF-2023_%D0%97%D0%92%D0%86%D0%A2_%D0%A3%D0%9A%D0%A0.pdf.
National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2023b), 150 political parties did not submit reports to the NACP for the III quarter of 2024, Available at: https://nazk.gov.ua/uk/politychnakoruptsiyaya-novyny/150-politychnyh-partiy-ne-podaly-zvity-do-nazk-za-iii-kvartal-2024-roku/.
National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2023c), From today, declarations and the functions of the NACP for verifying declarations have been restored: NACP clarification, Available at: https://nazk.gov.ua/uk/vid-sogodni-vidnovleno-deklaruvannya-ta-funktsiyinazk-z-perevirky-deklaratsij-roz-yasnennya-nazk/.
National Agency on Corruption Prevention (2023d), Political party reports still under quarantine: when will parties start reporting on budget funds spent?, Available at: https://nazk.gov.ua/uk/politychna-koruptsiyaya-novyny/zvity-politpartij-dosi-na-karantynikoly-partiyi-pochnut-zvituvaty-pro-vytracheni-byudzhetni-koshty-2/.
Pashynskyi, A., (2022), E-declarations and NACP inspections during the war, Economic Truth, Available at https://epravda.com.ua/columns/2022/05/4/686602/.
Radetskyi, R., (2018), Causes and directions of the fight against corruption in Ukraine, Public administration, (1), 150-154.
Slovo i Dilo (2025), How budget expenditures for party financing changed, Available at: https://media.slovoidilo.ua/media/infographics/22/210150/derzhavne-finansuvannya-partij_ru_origin.png.
Somin, S. V., Dromov, S. V., (2015), International experience in combating corruption in the security sector: conclusions for Ukraine, National Institute for Strategic Studies, Available at: https://www.niss.gov.ua/doslidzhennya/nacionalna-bezpeka/mizhnarodniy-dosvid-borotbi-z-korupcieyu-v-sektori-bezpeki.
Tkalych, M., Skrypchenko, T., Dukhnich, O., (2023), Pan-European study of Ukrainians in Europe, Rating Lab, Available at: https://ratinglab.org/research/a-pan-european-study-ofukrainians-in-europe.
Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF) (2023), Citizens' perception of the threat of corruption: assessment of the authorities and demands for change during the war, Available at: https://dif.org.ua/article/spriynyattya-zagrozi-koruptsii-gromadyanami-otsinka-vladi-ta-vimogi-do-zmin-pid-chas-viyni.
Ades, A., Di Tella, R., (1999), Rents, Competition, and Corruption. In: The American Economic Review, (89), 982–994, Available at https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Rents%20Competition%20and%20Corruption%20Di%20Tella%20Ades_84f3b2b5-c2a4-4438-92f4-be0b62e7bf12.pdf.
Aktan, C. C., (2015), Political corruption: an introductory study on terminology and typology, International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, 7(1), 47–65.
Amundsen, I., (1999), Political corruption: An introduction to the issues, Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute, (7).
European Union law (2003), Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee – On a comprehensive EU policy against corruption, Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52003DC0317.
Gründler, K., Potrafke, N., (2019), Corruption and Economic Growth: New Empirical Evidence, ifo Working Papers, Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Munich, Available at https://www.ifo.de/DocDL/wp-2019-309-gruendler-potrafke-corruption-growth.pdf.
Gwartney, J., Hall, J., Lawson, R., (2010), Economic Freedom of the World: 2010 Annual Report, The Fraser Institute, Vancouver, Available at https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/economic-freedom-of-the-world-2010.pdf.
Karklins, R., (2002), Typology of Post-Communist Corruption. Problems of PostCommunism, 49(4), 22–32, Available at https://providus.lv/article_files/1895/original/03Karklins.pdf
Our World in Data (2023), Political corruption index, Available at https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/political-corruption-index?tab=chart&country=~POL.
Transparency International Ukraine (2023), Corruption Perception Index CPI 2023, Available at: https://cpi.ti-ukraine.org/.
