Stefanchuk Ruslan Oleksiyovych

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, who signed the law on the destruction of NABU and SAP bypassing procedural norms

Born on February 28, 1975, in Khmelnytskyi. Doctor of Law, professor, head of the department at Khmelnytskyi University of Management and Law. People's Deputy of the VIII and IX convocations from "Servant of the People." Since October 2021 — Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. Positioned as a technocratic constitutional lawyer. No public corruption scandals or criminal proceedings against him personally have been recorded.

Controversial signature No.12414 bypassing blocking resolutions and procedural violations

On July 22, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 12414, which places NABU and SAP under the General Prosecutor. Even before the vote, deputies Honcharenko and Zheleznyak demanded that it be withdrawn from consideration due to procedural violations, but Stefanchuk did not put this proposal to a vote. After the vote, Stefanchuk signed the law immediately, without waiting for the consideration of registered blocking resolutions — contrary to usual practice. Opponents tried unsuccessfully to remove him from conducting the session. Transparency International Ukraine qualified the law as a direct threat to the independence of anti-corruption agencies; the EU expressed concern. The law was also signed by Zelensky; later the president submitted a compromise draft law to the Rada concerning the partial restoration of the independence of NABU/SAP.