Anti-corruption is essential in Ukraine, especially during wartime. As Ukraine defends itself against aggression, it also plays a pivotal role in preserving the rule of law and contributing to the security and stability of Europe as a whole.

Wartime conditions create severe challenges for anti-corruption work. Yet public demand for accountability remains exceptionally strong, reflecting an unusually low tolerance for corruption even under pressure. With scarce resources and immense reconstruction needs, preventing corruption is central to Ukraine’s resilience and to its commitment to building back better.

Despite the security and financial challenges, we reinforced support to the Government of Ukraine, state-owned enterprises and civil society to strengthen transparency, oversight and enforcement. Much of this work was made possible through long-standing support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), with additional funding from Norway, Liechtenstein, the EBRD, Swedfund, NEFCO and USAID.

Our approach combines hands-on corruption risk assessments, the development of mitigation measures and practical guidance on strengthening anti-corruption frameworks, adapted to volatile wartime conditions.

Safeguarding restoration and infrastructure

Ukraine’s restoration costs are already in the hundreds of billions of dollars – and reconstruction is ongoing even as the war rages. In 2024, working with the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, we assessed corruption risks in 336 restoration grants worth UAH 61.8 billion. We identified regulatory weaknesses and provided detailed recommendations, which were formally endorsed by the Ministry, strengthening safeguards for future projects.

We also supported the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development to develop policies on whistleblowing, internal investigations, handling corruption reports, transparent recruitment and a Code of Ethics, complemented by targeted training and a monthly anti-corruption newsletter.

Strengthening integrity in state-owned enterprises

Ukrainian Railways (UZ), a strategically vital state-owned enterprise, faces heightened corruption risks due to its size and wartime role. Building on long-standing cooperation, in 2024 we helped adapt its corruption risk assessment methodology to wartime realities and strengthened its compliance framework with a new Anti-Corruption Programme, Code of Ethics and related policies, followed by training to support implementation. We also advised UZ on the reform of its sizable procurement system, reducing one of the long-standing corruption risks.

Protecting forests and the timber trade

Together with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention, WWF Ukraine and the state-owned enterprise Forests of Ukraine, we are supporting the development of a robust anti-corruption framework to protect forests and ensure a sustainable and profitable timber trade.

This includes close work with Forests of Ukraine to strengthen policies, corporate governance and safeguards against corruption impacting Ukraine’s forests.

Recovering assets from abroad

Building sustainable capacity in financial investigations and asset recovery is essential to Ukraine’s ability to uncover and prosecute corruption and related financial crimes and to recover vital public funds.

In 2025, five practitioners from the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the High Anti-Corruption Court were certified as national trainers in financial investigations and asset recovery after completing the International Centre for Asset Recovery’s Train-the-Trainer programme. This milestone helps embed practitioner-led training across key anti-corruption institutions. As experienced investigators and prosecutors, the certified trainers are also well placed to apply and promote innovative approaches to asset recovery within their own organisations.

Alongside capacity building, ICAR experts facilitated a meeting in Switzerland between the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Swiss Federal Office of Justice, resulting in the execution of six mutual legal assistance requests. We also provided expert opinions in seven cases linked to frozen Yanukovych-era assets.

We have been working in Ukraine for over a decade. A significantly increased team of 10 experts in Kyiv delivers the vast majority of our programming, with headquarters support.

In 2025 and 2026 the effort continues, with an additional three-year project funded by the Government of Norway to promote transparency and accountability in three strategically vital sectors:

• Natural resources: Tackling corruption risks in forestry and the critical minerals sector.
• Energy: Supporting transparency and accountability in energy-related enterprises, starting with a collaboration with the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine to establish a comprehensive anti-corruption compliance system.
• Defence industries: Strengthening compliance and integrity systems in defence manufacturers as they produce vital materiel for Ukraine’s defence and integrate with Europe’s broader security architecture. This builds on our ongoing partnership with Ukraine Defense Industries (UkrOboronProm or UOP).

In addition, multi-year support from the Principality of Liechtenstein is allowing us to build a dedicated programme focused on reducing corruption risks in renewable energy. As Ukraine shifts away from centralised fossil fuel-based generation capacity, both for security and decarbonisation purposes, ensuring that the energy transition is not undermined through corruption is doubly crucial.