The Case of Anatoliy Hunko
On February 9, 2026, the Appeals Chamber of Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court upheld the guilty verdict against Member of Parliament Anatoliy Hunko for bribery, leading to his immediate detention and the loss of his parliamentary mandate. The case centers on a $221,000 bribe paid to secure permission to cultivate state-owned agricultural land. This ruling is part of Ukraine's ongoing judicial reforms aimed at holding powerful figures accountable.
According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the lawmaker, along with an aide and an accomplice, solicited and received the bribe from a representative of an agricultural firm. The total bribe was $221,000, with $85,000 paid as an upfront installment. The court of first instance had initially sentenced Hunko to seven years in prison. The appeals chamber partially amended the verdict by reclassifying his actions.
Hunko also faces a separate NABU and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) investigation for the alleged misappropriation of crops worth over 30 million hryvnias. On March 25, the High Anti-Corruption Court found him guilty of incitement to bribery and fraud, sentencing him to seven years' imprisonment with confiscation of property and banning him from holding public office for three years.
Case Timeline and Context
Anatoliy Hunko and two accomplices were caught red-handed receiving the $85,000 portion of the bribe. On August 9, 2023, a court ordered him held in pre-trial detention until October 7, with the option of bail. The following day, David Arakhamia, head of the ruling 'Servant of the People' parliamentary faction, announced Hunko's expulsion from the group. The investigation revealed that Hunko, while serving as chairman of the Verkhovna Rada's Temporary Investigative Commission on corruption at the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences (NAAS), incited a private business representative to bribe NAAS officials and a local government head.
This case underscores the critical importance of combating corruption in Ukraine, particularly among high-ranking officials. Hunko's loss of his mandate and his punishment may serve as a signal to other lawmakers and officials that corrupt acts will not go unpunished.
Source: High Anti-Corruption Court
Given Hunko's role on an anti-corruption commission, his case raises particular concerns about public trust in state institutions and the integrity of Ukraine's reform process.