Chaos broke out in the Ukrainian Parliament on Thursday, as two lawmakers engaged in a physical altercation moments before a critical vote on restoring the independence of the country’s anticorruption institutions.
The scuffle occurred during a tense session held to approve a new law aimed at ensuring the autonomy of the National Anticorruption Bureau and the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, following widespread public protests. The legislation was adopted with overwhelming support: 331 votes in favor and none against.
The brawl—broadcast live—marked a dramatic turn in what was the first open parliamentary session since the start of the war with Russia. The precise reason for the clash between MPs was not disclosed.
The vote came after President Volodymyr Zelensky was forced to retract a controversial law he had signed the previous week, which would have placed anticorruption agencies under the control of the Prosecutor General. The move triggered harsh reactions from the EU, the US, and human rights organizations.
In a rare show of defiance since the outbreak of war, hundreds of protesters flooded the streets of Kyiv, defying a ban on public gatherings to demand the preservation of institutional independence. In response, the European Union suspended $1.7 billion in aid, tying its resumption to Ukraine’s compliance with anticorruption reforms.
Acknowledging the backlash, President Zelensky stated:
“The new law guarantees the independent operation of anticorruption agencies. Ukraine is a democracy that listens to its people.”
