Fresh Ukraine corruption probe adds to pressure on Zelenskyy ahead of key vote – Europe live

Morning opening: Fresh corruption probes add to Zelenskyy's problems ahead of key vote

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies opened an investigation into unnamed lawmakers and presidential advisers just hours before a key vote in parliament, adding to pressure on president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Nabu and Sapo agencies released no further details, Reuters noted, but their announcement comes just hours before the Ukrainian parliament is due to vote on a new defence minister, Yevhen Khmara, appointed after Zelenskyy sacked his popular predecessor, Mykhailo Fedorov.

On Tuesday night, Fedorov called for a wartime presidential election in the most direct political challenge to Zelenskyy since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

As our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh reported,

“The politician, whose abrupt sacking last month triggered a wave of protests, said that Ukraine had to “restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war” in a video address released online late on Tuesday evening.

“Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. We are fighting precisely because we want to remain a free European state,” Fedorov said in his nine-minute speech.”

Overnight, at least four people died in Russian attacks on Ukraine, after a drone hit a bus in the southern city of Kherson.

Ukraine, meanwhile, sent hundreds of drones towards targets in Russia, with Moscow claiming it downed 453 of them.

I will also keep an eye on the latest in Belgium, as the firefighting operation against the largest wildfire in the country’s recent history appears to be nearing an end.

It’s Wednesday, 19 August 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.