Demonstrators filled the streets of the capital on Wednesday after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a new law impacting Ukraine’s anti-corruption system.

Footage from the protest was shared by X user Другорядний антигерой.

The law grants the prosecutor general control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap).

Opponents of the law argue that it undermines the independence of both institutions.

Zelensky, in an address, said the agencies would continue their work but must be free of “Russian influence.”

After the law was passed, hundreds of people protested in Kyiv, marking the largest anti-government demonstration since the full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022.

Other protests were reported in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.

Placards carried messages such as “We chose Europe, not autocracy” and “My father did not die for this.”

Chief prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko now has the authority to reassign investigations or close them altogether.

Zelensky criticized the current state of anti-corruption efforts, saying that major cases had stalled.

“There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been ‘hanging’ for years,” he said.

He added that the prosecutor general would ensure accountability.

The move has drawn concern from Ukraine’s international partners.

European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said the EU is “concerned about Ukraine’s recent actions” and noted that financial support is linked to reform.

EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos called the changes a “serious step back.”

Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka stated that the core functions of the agencies remain unchanged.

Former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba described it as a “bad day for Ukraine.”

G7 ambassadors have requested talks with Ukrainian officials about the impact of the new law on Nabu and Sap.