The NACP records an increase in the number of people convicted of corruption, but there is a nuance
10 July 2025 12:35
In 2024, the number of convictions for corruption crimes in Ukraine increased significantly. This was reported by the press service of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the report, last year, 2195 people were convicted of corruption and corruption-related crimes, which is almost 80% of all defendants in such cases.
However, there is a nuance: more than 60% of these people were convicted of offering or giving an unlawful benefit, not of taking a bribe.
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Increase in convictions in grand corruption cases
Progress in the fight against high-level corruption is particularly notable for the NACP. In 2024, sentences came into force for 60 people convicted in grand corruption cases heard by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). For comparison, in 2021, there were only 24 such verdicts.
Among those convicted of grand corruption:
- 17 people were sentenced to imprisonment, the vast majority for a term of 5 to 10 years;
- 34 people were released from serving their sentences with probation;
- the rest were fined.
A quarter of those convicted of corruption had their property confiscated. Most of the defendants were also sentenced to an additional type of punishment – deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities.
They were imprisoned for giving, not receiving, bribes
“The HACC sentenced most of the defendants for abuse of power or position. The cases also concerned misappropriation, embezzlement or misappropriation of property, obtaining undue advantage and abuse of influence,”
– the NACP reports.
Proceedings on corruption crimes are also considered by general local courts, and the vast majority of defendants in such cases are not public officials, the NACP says. Since only 60 top officials are among the 2,195 convicted, the other categories include 2,135 people convicted of corruption.
The NACP has published an infographic with statistics on the growth in the number of relevant convictions.
However, according to the NACP,
“more than 60% of them are for offering or giving an unlawful benefit. The main type of punishment applied by local general and appellate courts was a fine.”
That is, most of the corruption statistics from the NACP are made up of people who gave, not took, bribes. Moreover, since there are “more than 60%” of them, this means that not in every case the court found both parties guilty. In a number of cases, only the party that paid the bribe was found guilty of corruption.
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