Recently, there has been an increase in cases of so-called “leaks” of information within law enforcement agencies. However, despite the public outcry over direct violations of the confidentiality of pretrial investigations, the effectiveness of investigations into this category of crimes remains extremely low. Furthermore, according to Yosipov, an attorney and partner at Barristers LLP, double standards have become the norm: leaking information about an “enemy” is in the public interest, while leaking information about “one of our own” is a crime. He writes about this on his blog, according to “Kommersant Ukrainian.”

Yosipov emphasizes that such leaks have become a tactic for creating artificial public outcry. 

“When there are insufficient legal grounds to apply a preventive measure—particularly the most severe one, pretrial detention—a media attack is launched. Investigating judges, who are also part of the information landscape, find themselves under immense pressure from the negative public opinion that has been shaped. In such an atmosphere, making a lawful but unpopular decision (for example, refusing to grant a detention order) becomes an act of civic courage for a judge—one that only a few are capable of. “Thus, through these ‘leaks,’ questionable procedural decisions are legitimized,” the attorney argues. 

At the same time, the law enforcement system’s response to the disclosure of information from pretrial investigations is virtually nonexistent. In particular, at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, only one person has been held disciplinarily accountable in the entire history of the agency. 

“The situation with internal control is as follows. In 2019, the National Bureau’s Internal Control Department conducted one internal investigation into a disclosure. In 2020, there was also one internal investigation. Between 2021 and 2022, no such internal investigations were conducted at all. In 2023, one investigation was conducted, and in 2024, two. As of today, no official investigations of this category have been conducted in 2025. The only case of disciplinary action (dismissal) was recorded back in 2020,” notes Andriy Yosypov. 

Overall, according to statistics from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, 524 criminal cases were investigated in connection with information leaks (135 in 2019, 97 in 2020, 95 in 2021, 50 in 2022, 41 in 2023, 50 in 2024, and 56 in the first 11 months of 2025). Meanwhile, only 4 cases were sent to court with an indictment.

“The success rate of investigations into information leaks is less than 1% (within the margin of statistical error). The system registers cases primarily to close them later,” the lawyer writes. 

Yosypiv also notes that some law enforcement agencies avoid providing information on this matter altogether, citing either a lack of records or the inability to provide such information in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Access to Public Information.” However, the “no records—no problem” stance does not make the oversight process transparent and only confirms the lack of an adequate response to violations.

“The situation regarding the disclosure of secrets of pretrial investigations in Ukraine is catastrophic, but under control.  The law enforcement system effectively tolerates “leaks,” using them as a means of pressure on the courts and society,” the attorney concludes. 

As a reminder, in the published report on the results of an external independent assessment (audit) of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the auditors identified “leaks” as one of the Bureau’s biggest problems. The document also noted that NABU had not conducted a single successful criminal investigation into information leaks during pretrial investigations.