Key Findings from the 'Corruption in Ukraine 2025' Study
The National Agency on Corruption Prevention has released its 'Corruption in Ukraine 2025' report, detailing the prevalence of graft among the public and businesses and revealing a persistent reluctance to report it. The study shows that in 2025, 18.2% of surveyed Ukrainians reported experiencing corruption, a slight decrease from 18.7% in 2024. The situation is more acute in the business sector, where encounters with corruption rose from 18% in 2024 to 20.6% in 2025.
Willingness to report corruption remains critically low. Only 12.4% of citizens expressed readiness to file a report, compared to a slightly higher 21.1% of businesses. Actual reporting rates are even lower: just 7.3% of the public and 9.5% of businesses filed complaints in 2025. Notably, the rate of actual reports from entrepreneurs plummeted from 17.2% in 2024 to 9.5% in 2025.
Official Detentions and Government Response
Against this backdrop, the SBU's Main Directorate of Internal Security announced the detention of an intermediary and two deputy heads of regional SBU offices. The investigation found that the suspects demanded $620,000 from the head of a monopoly company in the amber business, promising in return to close a criminal case against the firm.
Volodymyr Kharchenko noted that 'citizens and companies are aware of the problem, yet they are in no hurry to report it officially.'
These findings underscore the severity of Ukraine's corruption challenge and highlight the urgent need to build public trust in law enforcement institutions. The report comes as Ukraine continues its reform efforts while defending itself against a full-scale invasion, making the fight against internal corruption a critical component of national resilience.
The 'Corruption in Ukraine 2025' study concludes that despite recognizing the problem, citizens and businesses remain unwilling to actively report graft. This points to systemic issues of trust in law enforcement and anti-corruption mechanisms. The detention of SBU officials for soliciting a bribe emphasizes the seriousness of the situation and the necessity for systemic reforms to improve transparency and effectiveness. The lack of active reporting may indicate widespread fear or a sense of futility among the population, requiring an immediate and robust state response.
The ongoing struggles against corruption in Ukraine are further highlighted by recent legal developments. In a related case, prosecutors are contesting a court's decision to reduce bail in a significant corruption scandal involving the SBU. This situation reflects the broader challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing graft effectively. For more details on this unfolding legal battle, see the prosecutors' appeal regarding the bail decision.