Ukraine’s New Anti-Graft Chief Targets Shadow Economy

Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, the new head of Ukraine’s Economic Security Bureau, aims to turn a discredited institution — long linked to bribery and extortion — into a key weapon against the country’s $14–24 billion shadow economy.

A former NABU detective who led high-risk corruption cases, including one involving the son of ex-Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Tsyvinsky now faces entrenched interests inside and outside government. The bureau, responsible for tackling economic crimes such as tax evasion, has often been described by businesses as a “financial mafia.” Activists say it remains under the informal control of Oleh Tatarov, the deputy head of the Presidential Office.

“Rebooting the bureau will irritate some people,” Tsyvinsky told the *Kyiv Independent*. “An effective bureau means illegitimate businesses lose money. In a month or two, we’ll see whether there’s political will for real change.”

His appointment on Aug 6 followed a standoff with the government, which initially tried to block him. Just weeks earlier, parliament attempted to curb the independence of anti-corruption agencies but backed down after protests and pressure from international partners.

Tsyvinsky says reform must start internally: higher salaries to deter bribery, strict sanctions for misconduct, and a credible whistleblower system. Since August, 41 employees have been dismissed or resigned as he begins a full internal purge.

His predecessor, Vadym Melnyk, resigned in 2023 amid scandals, including one involving a detective caught in a gambling ring.

Tsyvinsky insists his rule is simple: no one is untouchable. The bureau will focus on top-level perpetrators, not middlemen.

“The inevitability of punishment is the best deterrent,” he said. “We don’t need a hundred cases — just a few major ones that change the system.”

Even so, he concedes corruption can’t be eliminated entirely. The goal, he says, is to make integrity the norm rather than the exception.