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Zelensky’s Ex-Adviser Raided in Germany Amid Ukraine’s Corruption Storm

A raid on Zelensky’s former economic adviser exposes Ukraine’s fragile fight against graft. Did political pressure derail justice—or spark a reckoning?

,   and  Administrator
2 min read
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Zelensky’s Ex-Adviser Raided in Germany Amid Ukraine’s Corruption Storm

German authorities searched the home of a former top Ukrainian official, Rostyslav Schurma, in July 2023 as part of a widening anti-corruption probe. Schurma, once a key economic adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is now under investigation by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). The case has sparked controversy after Zelenskyy later moved to weaken the very agency leading the inquiry.

On 15 July 2023, investigators from NABU, working with German police, raided Schurma’s residence in Starnberg, Bavaria. Schurma had served as Deputy Head of the Presidential Office from 2021 to 2024, overseeing economic policy during a period of intense wartime pressure. His case is one of several involving figures close to Zelenskyy, highlighting broader scrutiny of the president’s inner circle.

One week after the search, Zelenskyy signed a law reducing NABU’s powers, along with those of another anti-corruption agency. The move triggered protests in Ukraine and unease among EU officials, who view independent anti-graft institutions as critical to the country’s reform agenda. Critics, including Daria Kaleniuk of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, suggested the Schurma investigation may have prompted Zelenskyy’s attempt to curb NABU’s authority.

Facing backlash, Zelenskyy later submitted draft legislation to restore the agencies’ independence. Under public and international pressure, Ukraine’s parliament passed the bill, reversing the earlier restrictions. Meanwhile, the Schurma case remains unresolved, with neither NABU nor German authorities releasing details of the allegations or potential charges.

The cross-border operation reflects Europe’s post-2014 reliance on international cooperation to tackle high-level corruption. Yet the episode also underscores ongoing tensions between reform demands and political resistance, as Ukraine grapples with war, financial shortfalls, and the need to meet EU membership criteria.

The Schurma investigation continues without public updates on possible charges. Zelenskyy’s initial attempt to limit NABU’s powers was overturned after domestic and Western criticism. The case remains a test of Ukraine’s commitment to anti-corruption reforms, with financial aid and EU accession talks partly dependent on consistent progress.

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