Zelensky announces return of asset declarations for rear-based law enforcement, signs call-centre fraud law
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 16 September 2026 the preparation of a decision to reinstate mandatory asset declarations for law enforcement officers and Security Forces members not at war, ordered a vetting of all heads of central executive bodies, and signed a law introducing criminal liability for fraudulent call centres. The Verkhovna Rada earlier adopted the call-centre bill, draft law No. 10190, with 313 votes in favour.
Key points
- Zelensky announced reinstatement of asset declarations for law enforcement and Security Forces personnel not at war, in a scope that allows monitoring of their property status and lifestyle.
- He instructed Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky to vet all heads of central executive authorities — appointed and acting — including the tax service, ARMA, and inspectorates identified as high-corruption-risk.
- Zelensky called on the government to accelerate the renewal of state enterprises including 'Lesy Ukrainy' and 'Energoatom', citing the experience of 'Ukrnafta' and 'Naftogaz'.
- The Cabinet of Ministers was tasked with preparing and presenting details for implementing the announced decisions.
- On 16 September Zelensky signed a law introducing criminal liability for fraudulent call centres, with a maximum punishment of up to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property.
- The Verkhovna Rada adopted the underlying draft law No. 10190 by 313 votes; it amends the Criminal Code to cover organised electronic-communications fraud, including unlawful use of personal data and bank-secrecy information.
- Mandatory asset declarations and full declaration checks were suspended after the start of the full-scale invasion and were restored by law on 12 October 2023, with submission postponed for certain categories of servicemembers and law enforcement.
Why it matters
The announcement marks a partial reversal of wartime anti-corruption exemptions, extending declaration-based oversight to rear-based law enforcement and Security Forces personnel. The accompanying vetting order targets institutions identified as high-corruption-risk and aims to accelerate the renewal of major state companies. The signed call-centre law creates criminal liability — including up to 15 years in prison and asset confiscation — for organised electronic-communications fraud, closing a gap in personal-data and bank-secrecy protections. Together the measures link domestic anti-corruption reform to obligations under IMF arrangements and the EU's Ukraine Facility.
What happened
On 16 September 2026 President Volodymyr Zelensky used his evening address to announce a coordinated package of anti-corruption and governance measures. He said a decision was being prepared to reinstate mandatory asset declarations for law enforcement officers and Security Forces members who are not at war, in a scope that would allow real control over their property status and lifestyle. He instructed Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky to verify all heads of central executive authorities — both permanent and acting — naming the tax service, ARMA, and various inspectorates with high corruption risks. He also called on the government to accelerate the renewal of state enterprises, including 'Lesy Ukrainy' and 'Energoatom', drawing on the experience of 'Ukrnafta' and 'Naftogaz', and tasked the Cabinet of Ministers with preparing the implementation details. On the same day the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 10190 with 313 votes in favour, and Zelensky signed the resulting law introducing criminal liability for fraudulent call centres, with a maximum punishment of up to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property. The law amends the Criminal Code to cover organised electronic-communications fraud, including the unlawful collection, storage, processing and use of personal data and bank-secrecy information.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources frame the package as the president's own initiative, anchored in his evening address and his meeting on further legislative steps. Coverage centres the dialogue between Zelensky and Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky as the operational channel for implementation and presents the measures as a coordinated set: declarations for rear-based law enforcement, vetting of central executive heads, renewal of state enterprises, and the newly signed call-centre law.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ only on the spelling of one state enterprise: most refer to 'Lesy Ukrainy', while one variant spells it 'Lisiv Ukrainy'. Both spellings refer to the same forestry enterprise.
Background
Mandatory asset declarations and full declaration checks were suspended after the start of the full-scale invasion. On 12 October 2023 they were restored by law, but declaration submission was postponed for certain categories of servicemembers and law enforcement personnel. In August 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft law proposing to open declarations of persons performing tasks in Ukraine's national-security and defence interest one year after the cancellation of martial law. Restoration and expansion of anti-corruption declaration, including closing loopholes for rear officials to avoid control, is an obligatory condition in Ukraine's agreements with the IMF and within the EU's Ukraine Facility programme. NAZK has completed automated checks of declarations for 2025.