In a recent video on his YouTube channel “Iron MP”, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak issued explosive allegations regarding the dismantling of Ukraine's key anti-corruption institutions — NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) and SAP (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office). According to him, the entire operation was orchestrated and executed under the direct supervision of Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak.
“I spoke with more than 10–15 sources across different government bodies. These were high-ranking officials. And now I’m certain — this entire story was engineered by Yermak,” Zhelezniak asserted.
“It wasn’t Arahamiia, Buzhanskyi, or Tatarov — they were just foot soldiers”
Zhelezniak listed a number of politicians frequently mentioned in the press as being responsible for the decision but emphasized they were only executors of the plan:
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Davyd Arahamiia, head of the Servant of the People faction: “He was summoned to the President’s Office and given instructions. He wasn’t the driver.”
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Maksym Buzhanskyi, MP: “He submitted the amendments, ran the committee work — but it was all technical.”
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Oleh Tatarov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office: “He joined the process at a later stage. Not a key figure.”
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Ruslan Kravchenko, Prosecutor General: “He helped draft some texts, but again — he executed orders.”
“The President approved it — but the idea was sold to him”
“Sure, the final approval came from the President. But it was Yermak who pushed it — feeding him articles, building the narrative, applying pressure,” Zhelezniak explained.
The MP claims the campaign to eliminate NABU and SAP was triggered by two key investigations:
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Chairman of the Antimonopoly Committee — reportedly close to Yermak, facing multiple NABU probes.
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Oleksiy Chernyshov, former Deputy Prime Minister — personally close to the President and also a target of NABU.
“Yermak had long claimed he controlled NABU. But when it started probing his allies — he panicked,” Zhelezniak said.
“Yermak lobbied MPs directly and planted the decision in a bill on missing persons”
Zhelezniak says Yermak even phoned opposition MPs to urge them to vote for the changes. The controversial amendments were inserted last-minute into draft law No. 12414, which originally dealt with missing persons.
“The sheer cynicism — hiding the dismantling of anti-corruption agencies inside a law about the missing,” he said.
“The West wasn’t consulted. Now they’re furious”
While government officials reportedly told MPs and journalists that the reforms had been “coordinated with the Americans,” Zhelezniak claims no such consultations took place.
“No one spoke to U.S. officials. And now Yermak is trying to pin the blame on Parliament or even his own deputies.”
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“People didn’t just protest for NABU and SAP. They protested against authoritarianism and corruption,” Zhelezniak stated.
He calls for immediate steps:
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Appoint the long-blocked head of the Bureau of Economic Security (BES);
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Launch transparent customs reform;
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Reboot the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI);
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And replace the government.
“The current Cabinet has proven absolutely incapable of handling crises. We need a government of national unity,” he concluded.