Yulia Tymoshenko, a key figure in Ukraine's political landscape and former prime minister, has reportedly been accused by anti-corruption investigators of orchestrating a scheme to bribe members of parliament. This alleged plan involves politicians from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s own party, potentially aiming to weaken his administration.
Tymoshenko first gained international attention during the Orange Revolution of 2004, where she played a significant role in challenging electoral fraud. In 2011, she was imprisoned under charges widely regarded as politically motivated by her rival, Viktor Yanukovych, who was aligned with pro-Kremlin interests. She regained her freedom during the Euromaidan protests in 2014, which ultimately led to Yanukovych's ousting.
As reported by a representative from the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sapo), Tymoshenko faces formal charges following a raid on her offices late Tuesday, conducted by officers from both Sapo and the national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu). Her party, known as Fatherland, currently holds 25 out of the 450 seats in the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
Although Tymoshenko has not yet been officially named in the public announcements, investigators have leaked information about her involvement, while she has firmly denied all allegations through a statement.
These developments occur amidst a wave of corruption investigations targeting high-ranking figures within Zelenskyy’s circle. The political climate in Ukraine is becoming increasingly fraught, particularly with rising expectations of upcoming elections that could follow a potential ceasefire agreement with Russia—a notion Zelenskyy himself has been promoting.
The accusations involving Tymoshenko stem from claims that she offered bribes to persuade lawmakers to support her party's agenda. Reports suggest these efforts included attempts to influence votes related to dismissing the head of the security service and the defense minister, as well as backing candidates she endorsed.
Investigators allegedly intercepted a conversation between Tymoshenko and an unnamed MP, in which she discussed using the Signal messaging app to send voting instructions, indicating her goal was to disrupt the parliamentary majority held by Zelenskyy.
In response to the unfolding controversy, Tymoshenko took to Facebook to deny any association with the audio recordings made public by the investigators, asserting, "I officially declare that the published audio recordings have nothing to do with me. I reject all accusations and I will prove they are groundless in court."
During the searches, anti-corruption agencies released footage showing cash in US dollars being confiscated, further intensifying scrutiny of Tymoshenko's activities.
Tymoshenko acknowledged the raid on her office in a Facebook post, where she suggested that the actions taken against her were politically motivated. She remarked that these operations seemed disconnected from legal standards and were likely linked to election-related speculations. She stated, "It seems the elections are much closer than they appeared and someone has decided to start clearing out the competition. They found nothing, so they just took my work phones, parliamentary documents, and personal savings, all of which are fully declared in my official statement of assets. I categorically reject all the absurd accusations."
Having been a prominent player in Ukraine's chaotic post-Soviet political arena, Tymoshenko is known for her passionate opposition to the fraudulent election practices of Yanukovych that sparked the Orange Revolution. Her political journey took a dark turn when, after losing the presidential election to Yanukovych in 2010, she was imprisoned for 30 months on corruption charges that many viewed as politically motivated.
Interestingly, Tymoshenko had previously shown strong support for a controversial bill last year that was later retracted by Zelenskyy due to public and international backlash. This bill aimed to dismantle the very anti-corruption bodies—Sapo and Nabu—that are now investigating her.
While the current investigation does not directly connect Tymoshenko to the corruption allegations affecting members of Zelenskyy’s party, which include serious accusations of money laundering and embezzlement within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-run nuclear power company, it clearly reflects the political repercussions of that broader scandal.
According to Nabu, Tymoshenko is accused of soliciting MPs for a "regular mechanism of cooperation" that involved advance payments and was intended to be sustained over time. This included directions to vote for the termination of top officials, including the head of Ukraine’s security service, Vasyl Malyuk, as well as the defense minister, Denys Shmyhal, and the digital transformation minister, Mykhailo Fedorov.
The news of these allegations comes just two weeks after Nabu disclosed the discovery of a criminal conspiracy involving MPs who accepted payments in exchange for parliamentary votes.
