Anti-Zelensky protests grew in Ukraine amid public anger over a proposed power-grab bill.

Furious activists gathered in Kyiv on Wednesday, July 23, to demonstrate after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill 12414, which affects the country's anti-corruption institutions.

The law grants the prosecutor general increased authority over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP).

Critics argued that the legislation could undermine the independence of these bodies.

In his address, Zelensky stated that both agencies would continue to operate but must be purged of what he described as 'Russian influence'.

Following the bill's approval, hundreds assembled in the capital in what spectators described as the largest anti-government rally since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Protests were also reported in Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa.

Under the new legislation, Chief Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko, known to be a Zelensky loyalist, was granted the authority to reassign or discontinue ongoing corruption investigations.

Zelensky criticised the current system, claiming that major corruption cases had remained unresolved for years.

He said: 'There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been hanging for years.'

He added that the prosecutor general would be responsible for ensuring accountability.

Guillaume Mercier, spokesman for the European Commission, said the EU was 'concerned about Ukraine's recent actions' and reiterated that financial aid is conditional on continued democratic reforms.

Marta Kos, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, described the changes as a 'serious step back'.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump referred to Zelensky as a dictator after the Ukrainian leader accused him of echoing 'Russian disinformation'.

Vice President JD Vance has repeatedly raised questions about the transparency of how Ukraine uses aid.

'We simply have no idea where a lot of our money to Ukraine has gone,' he said in July 2024.