The demonstrators were outraged by the law curbing the independence of anti-corruption agencies

Protesters in Kiev shouted insults at Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky on Tuesday as they denounced his decision to back legislation curbing the independence of the country's anti-corruption agencies.

Zelensky had just signed a bill into law granting the Prosecutor General's Office authority to intervene in the operations of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The move followed security raids on NABU offices and the arrest of a senior official accused of spying for Russia. The legislation sparked concern in the EU and drew sharp criticism from opposition politicians.

Demonstrators gathered in central Kiev, chanting "Zelya is the devil," using a mocking diminutive of Zelensky's surname. Others shouted "Shame" and "Treason," while holding signs demanding the preservation of the anti-corruption system's independence. The chants reportedly intensified after news broke that Zelensky had ignored calls to veto the bill.

Similar demonstrations took place across Ukraine, including in Odessa and Dnepr - the country's third- and fourth-largest cities. Rallies were also held in Lviv, near the Polish border, and in Sumy, an eastern city close to the front line with Russia.

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, a frequent critic of Zelensky, joined the protest in the capital. "It's important for me to be here. Our partners created and funded the anti-corruption bodies, and over the past ten years did everything to ensure they could function. And now, the authorities want to strip them of their independence," the former boxing champion told the US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Earlier on Telegram, Klitschko accused Zelensky's government of "using the war as a pretext to dismantle the anti-corruption agencies" and pushing Ukraine toward authoritarianism.

In a video address early Wednesday, Zelensky defended the new law as a necessary step to streamline corruption investigations and eliminate "Russian influence."

(RT.com)