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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Ukrainians are taking to the streets to protest a new law they worry will undermine the work of two key anti-corruption agencies<\/a>, by eroding the independence of bodies meant to provide a check on power.<\/p>\n Discontent over the law led to the first major demonstration<\/a> against the government in more than three years of war, marking the most serious fracture yet in the national unity that has helped Ukraine resist Russia\u2019s invasion.<\/p>\n President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the law as necessary to remove \u201cRussian influence\u201d from the fight against corruption, though he didn\u2019t provide examples of such interference.<\/p>\n The law adds new oversight for anti-corruption agencies<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday that brings the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office (SAPO) under the authority of the prosecutor general, who is a presidential appointee. Zelenskyy signed it into law, even as thousands took to the streets asking him to scrap it.<\/p>\n Critics say it could give Zelenskyy\u2019s circle greater influence over investigations. It comes after Zelenskyy carried out a reshuffle of his wartime Cabinet<\/a>, a move also widely viewed as consolidating power with his inner circle.<\/p>\n Before the bill was signed, the agencies warned that, if it took effect, \u201cthe head of SAPO will become a nominal figure, while NABU will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n NABU investigates corruption cases involving top officials, while SAPO supervises these investigations and prosecutes cases in court.<\/p>\n The law has unleashed criticism of the government<\/p>\n Ukraine has a robust tradition of pro-democracy protests<\/a>, with street demonstrations twice resulting in political upheavals.<\/p>\n In fact, the two agencies in question were established after the 2014 Maidan revolution, which ousted then-President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine\u2019s pro-Moscow leader who was accused of corruption on a massive scale, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the government.<\/p>\n His corruption was so vast<\/a> that ordinary Ukrainians were aghast when they toured the grounds of his lavish mansion and discovered his collection of expensive cars and even a private zoo.<\/p>\n Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022<\/a>, however, rallies have largely focused on the return of prisoners of war or missing people.<\/p>\n But Tuesday’s demonstrations trained public outrage on the government, with some calling the law a greater blow to morale than even routine Russian drone and missile attacks.<\/p>\n A mood of anger and frustration among the war-weary Ukrainians prevailed in the crowd. Some protesters accused Ukraine\u2019s leadership of prioritizing loyalty and personal connections over the fight against corruption.<\/p>\n \u201cUkraine has far fewer resources than Russia in this war,\u201d said Ihor Lachenkov, a blogger and activist who urged people to join the protest through his social media platforms, which reach more than 1.5 million followers. \u201cIf we misuse them, or worse, allow them to end up in the pockets of thieves, our chances of victory diminish. All our resources must go toward the fight.\u201d<\/p>\n