Four people including a Ukrainian lawmaker were arrested after authorities in Kyiv said they uncovered a large-scale bribery scheme surrounding drone purchases.
Ukrainian officials allegedly procured the military equipment at inflated prices and received kickbacks.
The probe was announced just days after the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies was restored, following widespread public outcry over President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s move to curb their powers. Zelenskyy, forced into a rare political U-turn, backed a bill that reversed the changes.
Still, some analysts argued that the damage to Zelenskyy’s standing may be irreversible: “This is a serious crisis of legitimacy,” one Kyiv-based professor said.