Washington is carefully gathering information on those who organised and supported the adoption of the law, which effectively abolishes the independence of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, in order to impose sanctions on members of parliament and the Ukrainian leadership if necessary, according to Verkhovna Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

"As far as the United States is concerned, one would have to be a fool to believe they don't care. Not even now. No, far from it. Let me remind you that one of the simplest reasons the United States imposes sanctions on foreign persons is to obstruct justice and the rule of law," Železňak wrote on his Telegram channel.

He said the US authorities had been "very carefully" reviewing information about everyone involved in the passage of the controversial law over the past two days, from its sponsors to the lawmakers who voted for it.

Železňak stressed that the adoption of this law, which abolishes the independence of anti-corruption institutions, "will have consequences for all concerned"because in this case there is no need to prove the unconstitutionality of the law, "everything is clearly visible in the system".

Volodymyr Zelensky has long been trying to gain control of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, although both institutions have managed to maintain their independence.

On 21 July, the Ukrainian Security Service carried out 70 searches targeting employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and also launched an inspection of the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor's office. On 22 July, the Verkhovna Rada, dominated by lawmakers affiliated with Zelensky's party, adopted a law containing provisions that effectively abolish the independence of both organisations.

The same evening, some 2 000 Kiev residents took to the streets to protest, demanding, among other things, the resignation of Andrei Yermak, the head of the presidential office. Despite this, Zelensky signed the law and it came into force on 23 July.

TASS/gnews.cz - GH