Transcription of Tymoshenko’s tapes: what is known about the bribery allegations and NABU recordings
14 January 13:12
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has published a five-minute video related to the Yulia Tymoshenko case. It contains secretly recorded conversations between the leader of the Batkivshchyna faction in the Verkhovna Rada and an unnamed member of parliament. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to NABU.
The leader of the Batkivshchyna party, MP Yulia Tymoshenko, has been notified of suspicion of offering illegal benefits to MPs, according to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
The official statement from the anti-corruption authorities does not name the suspect. At the same time, late in the evening on January 13, law enforcement officers conducted searches at the office of the Batkivshchyna party, which is headed by Tymoshenko. On the morning of January 14, a number of Ukrainian media outlets, citing their own sources, reported that it was indeed Yulia Tymoshenko.
What the NABU and SAPO say
According to the investigation, after the exposure in December 2025 of facts of receiving bribes by individual people’s deputies for voting on draft laws in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the suspect, according to law enforcement agencies, initiated negotiations with other parliamentarians.
The talks allegedly concerned the creation of a systematic mechanism for providing unlawful benefits in exchange for loyal behavior during parliamentary votes.
The NABU emphasizes that the investigation is not looking into one-off agreements, but a regular scheme that involved:
- advance payments;
- long-term cooperation;
- providing instructions on voting “for,” “against,” or abstaining from voting.
Transcription of Tymoshenko’s tapes: what the NABU has made public
On January 14, NABU released audio recordings of conversations which, according to the investigation, are evidence of negotiations regarding such a scheme. The recordings feature a voice that, according to detectives, sounds like Yulia Tymoshenko’s.
Anti-corruption authorities say that these materials formed the basis for the notification of suspicion. At the same time, the final assessment of the evidence must be provided by the court.
The conversations are dated January 12, the day before the party’s office was searched.
In the recordings, both speak Russian. Tymoshenko, in particular, says that on the issue of personnel changes, her deputies only vote for dismissals, but do not vote for appointments. Also, Batkivshchyna deputies vote to include bills on the agenda, but do not vote on the documents themselves, in order to “kill” them.
12.01.2026
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – I have only one question: is this a one-time thing? And is it ten or what?
Head of the parliamentary faction – These ones…
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Once a month, it’s a permanent thing for everyone.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yeah. That’s all me.
Head of the parliamentary faction – For one person. Is that okay?
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Well, of course, it’s better than it was.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Here. And for us, one month is considered two sessions.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – That means we pay ten for two sessions, we pay in advance for two sessions.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction: If we agree today, we will record who is with you, or you or who is with you, and I will give it to you. And you, I will give it to you as if it were cash.
Head of the parliamentary faction: And then, let’s say tomorrow evening here at my place, I’ll give it to you.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction: And me, well, you’ll have to deal with them, it’s not 20 or 30 people, there are only three of you here – that’s nothing, a very small group.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction: I’ll give it to you tomorrow evening, because today we have a conciliation council and it’s not clear when it will end.
Member of Parliament of Ukraine – No, no, I understand.
Head of the parliamentary faction – But I have to tell you what to vote for.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Of course.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Then can I just send it to your phone in Signal?
Member of Parliament of Ukraine: Yes, if you can, right now or after the agreement?
Head of the parliamentary faction – Only after approval.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Okay, send it to Signal.
Head of the parliamentary faction – I’ll send it to Signal. I’ll send you the number.
Member of Parliament of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Yes, well, conditionally “for” or “against.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes, yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction – You can abstain, not vote “against.”
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Just so that there is no vote, and “for” is “for.”
Head of the parliamentary faction: Look, of course, it is desirable that there be no disruptions.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction: Because everything is very interconnected for us. That is, we want to crush this “majority,” and therefore we must not give them any leeway. So talk to the guys. Of course, there will be no penalties, but it is very important.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Discipline must be maintained.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Yes, there was discipline, because otherwise it all just doesn’t make sense.
Head of the parliamentary faction – And now, as for personnel matters, we are voting for removal.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – And we vote “no” for the appointment.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – On all of them?
Head of the parliamentary faction – Yes, on all of them.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – All of them, plus.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Here’s another story: there are laws that are included in the agenda. They are included in the agenda, but we are against them. We still vote for their inclusion in the agenda.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – And then we don’t vote for them in order to “kill” them. Therefore, where they are included in the agenda, we will also write to you.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction – What is included in the agenda, but we do not vote for the law itself. This is very important.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – That’s all.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Okay. So we’ll work on three things. Today I’ll send you a message on Signal.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction – How we vote every day, after the conciliation.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Uh-huh.
Head of the parliamentary faction – And plus, tomorrow evening we’ll meet here, I’ll give you this, already two sessions ahead.
Head of the parliamentary faction – Okay, fine, then starting tomorrow.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction – I’ll send it to you today.
People’s Deputy of Ukraine – Yes.
Head of the parliamentary faction: And starting tomorrow, we’ll already be in the system.
What Tymoshenko says about the NABU accusations
The leader of Batkivshchyna refuted the NABU accusations, calling them unfounded and unproven. According to her, more than 30 detectives in full gear and armed came to the party’s office at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13. The MP claims that she was alone in the office at the time, which did not even have security. According to her, law enforcement officers arrived at the party’s office in five buses.
She stated that the NABU employees did not have search warrants with them.
The MP also said that her parliamentary documents and personal savings, which she claims are reflected in her declaration, were seized.
What is known about the Tymoshenko case
On January 13, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office reported the exposure of the leader of one of the Verkhovna Rada factions for offering illegal benefits to MPs from other political forces for voting “for” or “against” specific bills.
The SAPO statement emphasizes that this is a preliminary legal assessment and that only a court can make final conclusions. The preliminary classification is Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (offering, promising, or providing an illegal benefit to an official), which carries a penalty of 4 to 8 years in prison.
People’s Deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko stated that, according to his information, the SAP had exposed the leader of the Batkivshchyna faction, Yulia Tymoshenko. According to the MP, this concerns negotiations with individual MPs regarding their transition or informal joining of the faction in exchange for money, and the materials were allegedly transferred to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). These statements are the position of an individual politician and do not imply a finding of guilt.
Tymoshenko already has experience of criminal prosecution
The leader of the Batkivshchyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko, has previously been under investigation on several occasions and has experience of serving a sentence. She was first placed in a detention center in 2001, during the presidency of Leonid Kuchma. This occurred after she became an active opponent of the government. At that time, Tymoshenko was charged with gas smuggling and spent about 40 days behind bars.
The second high-profile episode occurred in 2011, during Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency. Tymoshenko was accused of exceeding her official powers when concluding gas contracts with Russia’s Gazprom in 2009. The court sentenced her to seven years in prison.
In fact, Yulia Tymoshenko was imprisoned from August 2011 to February 2014 — a total of about two and a half years. European institutions actively demanded her release, and mass protests were held in Ukraine in her support.
What is known about the Batkivshchyna party
The All-Ukrainian Union Batkivshchyna is a Ukrainian centrist political party. It is led by Ukrainian MP and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
The party was first represented in the Verkhovna Rada in 2002. Since 2008, Batkivshchyna has been a member of the supervisory board of the European People’s Party.
In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the political force participated as part of the united opposition under the Batkivshchyna brand. The list was headed by the then leader of the Front for Change party, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. In 2013, the Front for Change and Reforms and Order parties joined Batkivshchyna.
In the 2014 Verkhovna Rada elections, Yulia Tymoshenko, Nadiya Savchenko, Ihor Lutsenko, Serhiy Sobolev, and Alona Shkrum were among the top five on the electoral list.
Before the early parliamentary elections in 2019, the party formed a political alliance with Serhiy Taruta’s Osnova party and former SBU head Valentyn Nalyvaichenko. The top five on the list at that time were Yulia Tymoshenko, Serhiy Taruta, Valentin Nalyvaichenko, Serhiy Sobolev, and Olena Kondratyuk.
In the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the IX convocation, the Batkivshchyna party is represented by a faction of 25 people’s deputies.
