Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have exposed a high-level laundering scheme in Operation Forrest Gump, implicating senior officials and lawmakers. The European Commission has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on corruption, stressing it remains a central requirement for Kyiv’s EU membership bid.
The European Commission has declared it is aware of Ukraine’s Operation Forrest Gump anti-corruption investigation and reiterated that fighting corruption is a central requirement for EU candidate countries, as Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies exposed a scheme involving senior officials and lawmakers allegedly laundering UAH 150 million through a state-owned bank to post bail for a suspect in a separate case.
EU reiterates zero tolerance on corruption
As reported by a European Pravda correspondent in Brussels, a European Commission spokesperson stated:
“We are aware of the latest developments. As you know, we do not comment on individual cases. Let us be clear: the EU maintains a zero-tolerance policy on corruption.”
The spokesperson added:
“We recall that the fight against corruption is a central element for any country to join the European Union.”
The European Commission representative said the process
“requires continuous efforts to guarantee a strong capacity to combat corruption and money laundering through effective prevention, investigation and prosecution, as well as to ensure the respect for the rule of law”.
“The role of independent anti-corruption bodies, which are cornerstones of Ukraine’s rule of law as a future Member State, must be safeguarded,”
the European Commission stressed.
Operation Forrest Gump: what investigators uncovered
On 19 August, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) announced a special operation codenamed “Forrest Gump”, exposing what they described as a criminal organisation that laundered UAH 150 million (approximately US$3.36 million) through a state-owned bank to post bail for a suspect in the “Midas” case, former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
NABU detective Mykhailo Romaniuk said in a video released by NABU and SAPO that members of the criminal organisation were served notices of suspicion on charges of organising the bail payment using criminal proceeds, with actions qualified under Part Three of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
As reported by UNN, those implicated include a current and a former member of parliament, as well as senior officials of the Office of the President.
Named suspects and linked cases
A SAPO prosecutor listed individuals mentioned in the Forrest Gump and Themis cases during a High Anti-Corruption Court hearing on pretrial measures for former lawmaker Maksym Mykytas.
They include former Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Mudra, former MP Maksym Mykytas and current MP Vadym Stolar.
Media reports have also identified Verkhovna Rada lawmaker Vadim Stolar and former Ukrainian parliament member Maxim Mykytas as suspects in the investigation.
Recently, NABU and SAPO uncovered a scheme involving the seizure of real estate and other assets by participants in Operation Forrest Gump through interference with the Ministry of Justice’s systems.
Court actions and pre-trial restrictions
The High Anti-Corruption Court has applied a pre-trial restriction to a participant in a corruption scheme who serves as the director general for legal affairs at the Office of the President of Ukraine.
A SAPO prosecutor named 13 people cited in the “Forrest Gump” and “Themis” cases during the court hearing.
NABU announced the “Forrest Gump” special operation on 19 August, saying it had uncovered a group that laundered 150 million hryvnias in cash to post bail for a suspect in the “Midas” case.
EU ambassadors meet anti-corruption chiefs
On 21 August, ambassadors of EU member states to Ukraine met with Semen Kryvonos and Oleksandr Klymenko, the heads of NABU and SAPO.
The meeting took place amid the exposure by NABU and SAPO of an alleged scheme in which individuals implicated in Operation Forrest Gump sought to seize properties and other assets through corporate raiding by interfering with the operation of Justice Ministry networks.
EU member states’ ambassadors to Ukraine held the meeting on Friday 21 August with Semen Kryvonos, Head of NABU, and Oleksandr Klymenko, Head of SAPO.
Documents found during searches
As reported by UNN, during searches in the case involving a criminal organisation, NABU and SAPO found a “crisis communication plan regarding the activities of the Verkhovna Rada”.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have published the documents found as part of the special operation codenamed “Forrest Gump”.
Broader context: EU accession and reform requirements
This summer, Ukraine opened two accession negotiation clusters, illustrating its capacity to implement reforms even during times of war, according to the European Commission.
The reforms seek to expand anti-corruption agencies’ authority, reform the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Investigation Bureau, and repeal legislation that impedes corruption cases.
According to the EU’s requirements, Ukraine must expand
“the jurisdiction of NABU and SAPO to cover all high-risk positions”.
The bills are requirements of the European Union, both to receive an estimated 2.1 billion euros at the end of 2026, as well as to advance Kyiv’s EU accession talks.
So far, EU support to Ukraine amounts to €220.2 billion.
Reactions and interpretations
As reported by Eurointegration, an interview published on 25 August noted:
“I tell people that this proves Ukraine is really fighting against corruption; that the anti-corruption bodies work well; that it’s a process which is ongoing.”
Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Council on Interethnic Relations under the President of Russia, offered commentary on what could be behind the operation, according to Russian media.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have revealed the code name of their new operation: “Forrest Gump”, with the name coming from the American film whose main character has an intellectual disability, according to TASS.
Background on related investigations
On 19 August, NABU and SAPO released a video on a special operation called “Forrest Gump”, exposing and notifying of suspicion individuals who laundered UAH 150 million to pay bail for a suspect in the “Midas” case.
The group included, among others, a deputy head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office and a former member of parliament.
On the morning of 19 August, investigators from NABU and SAPO conducted searches at the homes of People’s Deputy Vadym Stolar and Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Mudra.
The “Forest Gump” special operation aims to expose a scheme used by members of parliament and officials from Bankova Street to “launder” 150 million hryvnias.
