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.

A cross-party group of 48 lawmakers has submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, aimed at restoring the independence of key anti-corruption agencies, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the parliamentary committee on freedom of speech, said on July 24.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday announced he would propose a bill to "ensure the strength of the rule of law system," in response to nationwide protests over a new law curtailing the power of anti-corruption authorities.