WATCH fistfight break out in Ukrainian parliament

The Ukrainian parliament descended into chaos on Thursday as lawmakers exchanged punches and obscene gestures during a heated session to restore the independence of the country’s anti-corruption agencies.

Tensions flared as the Rada met to roll back last week’s controversial amendments that had placed the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the control of the executive branch. The decision triggered nationwide protests and a strong backlash from Western donors who fund much of Kiev’s government.

The parliamentary session was the first to be televised live since the escalation of hostilities with Russia in 2022. Authorities had previously suspended live broadcasts, citing security risks, though proceedings remained accessible online.

During the debate, two members of Vladimir Zelensky’s ruling Servant of the People party, identified by Ukrainian media as Vladlen Neklydov and Gennady Kasay, were seen engaging in a brief physical altercation on the chamber floor. The cause of the scuffle was not immediately clear.

Separately, veteran politician Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Fatherland (Batkivshchyna) party, addressed the parliament. As she spoke, fellow party member Sergey Vlasenko was captured on video delivering an emphatic middle finger gesture from the back row, directed at someone in the chamber.

The session reversed last week’s Rada approval of Zelensky's government initiative to assert direct control over institutions created to ensure Kiev's accountability for foreign aid spending. The move was widely interpreted by the media as an attempt to shield Zelensky’s allies from corruption investigations.

Physical confrontations are not new to the Ukrainian legislature. Just two weeks earlier, two lawmakers were involved in an altercation during a debate over Zelensky’s request to approve the government’s resignation.