The Ukrainian parliament descended into chaos on Thursday when two members engaged in a fistfight just before lawmakers voted to restore the autonomy of the nation’s vital anti-corruption entities.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had initially caused anger by discreetly approving a controversial law that reduced the independence of two major anti-corruption agencies, prompting him to reverse his decision following a significant public backlash.

Amidst widespread protests, marking the first major dissent since the conflict with Russia began, he retracted the initial legislation and endorsed a new draft that safeguarded the independence of these anti-corruption bodies.

The new bill, to restore the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), was passed by 331 to 0 on Thursday in Kyiv’s parliament.

But amid a tense atmosphere, two MPs could be seen exchanging punches.

The pair gestured at one another before launching a punch each. They both unsuccessfully attempt to land another blow before being separated by fellow lawmakers.  

The scrap’s cause remains unknown but it was streamed live in what was the first parliamentary vote broadcast since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Zelensky said it was the ‘right decision’ after the anti-corruption bill was passed into law.

‘This guarantees the normal, independent work of anti-corruption bodies and all law enforcement agencies in our country. It is the right decision,’ he said.

He also added that ‘it is very important that the state listens to public opinion,’ in response to the street protests.

‘Ukraine is a democracy – there is no doubt about that. Government officials will also immediately inform Ukraine’s partners about this law,’ he added. 

Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it was ‘a direct and responsible response to the expectations of Ukrainian society and our European partners.’

‘It confirms Ukraine’s commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, and institutional maturity,’ she added. 

Zelensky last week placed the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general, essentially removing their autonomy, in a move which was criticised by Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups.

Emmanuel Macron and US officials had also tried to dissuade him from doing so.   

The bill – known as No. 12414 – was pushed through parliament at breakneck speed, tucked away in amendments to unrelated legislation in what opponents are calling a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny. 

It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny.

Mass protests broke out against the Government for the first time since the outbreak of war in response.

Hundreds of furious demonstrators, many of them young, poured into the streets in Kyiv, staging a defiant protest despite a nationwide martial law ban on public gatherings.

An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people gathered near the Ivan Franko Theatre in the heart of the capital last week, just steps from the presidential compound.

‘They are crying that they do not want to return to the times of [former President Viktor] Yanukovych,’ Kyiv Post reporter Sergii Kostezh said.

Fighting corruption is crucial for Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the war against Russia. 

Last week the EU said it was freezing $1.7b in aid which meant to reward Ukraine for good governance standards as a result of the bill

Anti-corruption measures also enjoy broad public support in the country.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who called last week’s legislative changes ‘a serious step back,’ welcomed approval of Thursday’s bill, saying lawmakers had ‘corrected last week’s damaging vote.’

‘Today’s law restores key safeguards, but challenges remain,’ Kos, who monitors the record of countries that are candidates to join the bloc, wrote on X. 

 ‘The EU supports (Ukrainian) citizens’ demands for reform. Upholding fundamental values & fighting corruption must remain the priority.’

European Commission president Ursula von der added that ‘President Zelensky’s signature on the law restoring Nabu & Sapo independence is a welcome step.’

‘Ukraine’s rule of law and anti-corruption reforms should continue. They remain essential for Ukraine’s progress on the European path. The EU will continue to support these efforts,’ she said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said his country ‘is committed to reforms and the fight against corruption’ and that Zelensky ‘demonstrated a principled approach.’

‘We got it fixed,’ he wrote on X.

The controversy threatened to undermine public trust in their leaders at a critical time, though the protests didn’t call for the president’s removal.

Russia’s bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine’s front-line defences and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. 

There is also uncertainty over how much additional weaponry Ukraine’s Western partners can provide and how quickly.

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International also criticized last week’s legislation, saying it weakened one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014.

NABU and SAPO were established after the 2014 Maidan revolution that toppled a pro-Russian president and set Kyiv on a Western course. 

The two agencies have stepped up their work during the war, leveling charges against lawmakers, ministers, and a former deputy head of Zelensky’s administration.  

Zelensky said his goal had been to speed up prolonged investigations, ensure more convictions and remove Russian meddling in investigations, which he didn’t detail.

He said he had taken note of the protests and decided to present a new bill to Parliament underscoring that the prosecutor general and his deputies cannot give orders to anti-graft agencies or interfere in their work.