On Thursday, Zelensky backtracked, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing the first major anti-government protests since Russia's invasion, after lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday weakening two key anti-corruption agencies. Why it matters: The bill,

Fighting corruption has been a central issue for Ukrainians since pro-Western protests a decade ago, and new curbs on the watchdog agencies have alarmed many.