Protests flared across Ukraine for the second night after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to hobble anti-corruption authorities. The move blindsided Kyiv’s allies and may have inflicted lasting damage to its ambition to join the European Union.
The approval of legislation rushed through parliament this week triggered the biggest outbreak of popular discontent against the Ukrainian leader since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than three-and-half years ago. Zelenskyy on Wednesday pledged to introduce new legislation to address concerns over weakening the anti-graft bodies.
But the climbdown failed to quell the outrage as the number of protesters swelled to several thousands in Kyiv alone and spread to as many as 14 cities across the country. In the capital, many clapped and chanted slogans including "cancel the law” and "corruption kills.” Anna Kutsevol, 25, a photographer, said she will continue to protest because the current law undermines Ukraine’s integration with the EU.
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