Abstract
The article examines the problem of political corruption as a systemic factor reducing the effectiveness of state anti-corruption policy and as a threat to the national security of Ukraine. The approaches to the formation of anti-corruption policy in Ukraine remain insufficiently systematic, which is reflected in the fragmented nature of decisions, incomplete consideration of previous experience, and limited analysis of alternative instruments of state influence. Particular attention is paid to the social dimension of corruption. It is noted that corruption in Ukraine is consistently perceived as one of the key social problems, while the greatest concern is associated specifically with political corruption related to the activities of public authorities, political parties, and state decision-making processes. At the same time, everyday corruption practices are often not perceived by the population as critically dangerous, which is due to the low level of trust in state institutions and the historical peculiarities of their development. The content of political corruption is clarified as a form of improper use of public authority, administrative, and political resources for the purpose of obtaining private or group benefits. Its direct connection with the processes of public policymaking, distribution of public resources, and the functioning of key state institutions is established, which determines its systemic nature and distinguishes it from other forms of corruption. It is substantiated that political corruption has a multidimensional impact, in particular leading to reduced effectiveness of public administration, distortion of economic mechanisms, weakening of social trust, and increasing risks to national security. It is demonstrated that the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy largely depends on the quality of information support in the decision-making process. Emphasis is placed on the need to use complete, reliable, and verified statistical and sociological data for identifying corruption risks, assessing their scale, and determining priorities for state response. Based on the conducted analysis, it is determined that counteracting political corruption requires a comprehensive approach, including ensuring transparency of electoral processes, institutional separation of politics and business, strengthening the independence of the judiciary, developing public oversight, and fostering a sustainable culture of intolerance toward corrupt practices.
References
1. Audretsch, D. B., Belitski, M., Chowdhury, F., & Desai, S. (2022). Necessity or opportunity? Government size, tax policy, corruption, and implications for entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, (58), 2025–2042. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-021-00497-2
2. Bauhr, M., Carlitz, R., & Kovacikova, L. (2024). Beyond buildings: Social bargaining and effective access to public services [Poza budivliamy: sotsialni perehovory ta efektyvnyi dostup do publichnykh posluh]. Public Organization Review, (24), 389–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-023-00741-1. (in Ukrainian)
3. Dluhopolskyi, O. (2020). Corruption and rule of law: problem of interconnection [Koruptsia ta verkhovenstvo prava: problema vzaiemozviazku]. In Political and Economic Self-Construction: Media, Political Culture and Democracy: Proceedings of the VIII International Scientific and Practical Seminar (pp. 39–42). http://iriss.idn.org.rs/699/1/PESC_2020_Media_Political_Culture_and_Democracy.pdf
4. Dluhopolskyi, O. (2024). Suchasni pidkhody do otsinky koruptsiinykh ryzykiv: analiz kliuchovykh indykatoriv [Modern approaches to assessing corruption risks: analysis of key indicators]. Socio-Economic Relations in the Digital Society, 3(53), 91–101. https://doi.org/10.55643/ser.3.53.2024.565 (in Ukrainian)
5. Dluhopolskyi, O., Farion-Melnyk, A., Bilous, I., Moskaliuk, N., & Banakh, S. (2021). Strategic directions to overcoming corruption: financial and legal perspectives [Stratehichni napriamy podolannia koruptsii: finansovi ta pravovi aspekty]. Financial and Credit Activity: Problems of Theory and Practice, 1(36), 481–495. https://doi.org/10.18371/fcaptp.v1i36.228096
6. Gnatiuk, M., & Veherzhynskyi, O. (2024). Public procurement in Ukraine: Corruption risks under martial law [Publichne zakupivli v Ukraini: koruptsiini ryzyky v umovakh voiennoho stanu]. Ukrainian Policymaker, (14), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.29202/up/14/4 (in Ukrainian)
7. Horodetska, I. A. (2020). Koruptsiini ryzyky v diialnosti orhaniv publichnoi vlady: poniattia, identyfikatsiia, zakhody usunennia [Corruption risks in the activities of public authorities: concept, identification, removal measures]. Internauka. Seriia: Yurydychni nauky, 8(30), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.25313/2520-2308-2020-8-6252 (in Ukrainian)
8. Info Sapiens. (2021). Corruption in Ukraine 2021: understanding, perception, prevalence [Koruptsiia v Ukraini 2021: rozuminnia, spryiniattia, poshyrenist]. https://nazk.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2021/Corruption_Survey_2021_Info-Sapiens.pdf (in Ukrainian)
9. Kalitenko, O., Lemienov, O., Malyshev, B., et al. (2021). Resiume do Alternatyvnoho zvitu z otsinky efektyvnosti vprovadzhennia derzhavnoi antykoruptsiinoi polityky [Summary of the Alternative Report on the Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Implementation of State Anti-Corruption Policy] (M. Khavroniuk, Ed.). Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)
10. Korchak, N. (2024). Protydiia koruptsii yak osnova zabezpechennia natsionalnoi bezpeky Ukrainy: okremi aspekty [Counteraction to corruption as a basis for ensuring national security of Ukraine: separate aspects]. Visnyk Kyivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni Tarasa Shevchenka. Natsionalna bezpeka, 2(2), 13–16. https://doi.org/10.17721/3041-1912.2024/2-2/11 (in Ukrainian)
11. Ministerstvo tsyfrovoi transformatsii Ukrainy. (2022). Pro vnesennia zmin u dodatok do Metodyky vyznachennia nalezhnosti biudzhetnykh prohram do sfery informatyzatsii [On amendments to the methodology for determining budget programs related to informatization] (Order No. 51). https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z0679-22#Text (in Ukrainian)
12. Muzychuk, E. O. (2023). Administrative and legal regulation of the limits for preventing and combating corruption in the public service [Administratyvno-pravove rehuliuvannia mezh zapobihannia ta protydii koruptsii v publichnii sluzhbi]. Visnyk Kharkivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu vnutrishnikh sprav, 102(3), 106–113. https://doi.org/10.32631/v.2023.3.33 (in Ukrainian)
13. Pohorilyi, Ya. (2024). Problems of defining and interpreting corruption risks in public administration. Visnyk Kyivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni Tarasa Shevchenka. Derzhavne upravlinnia, (19), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.17721/2616-9193.2024/19-17/22 (in Ukrainian)
14. Shapoval, R., Matuliene, S., & Solntseva, K. (2025). Administrative and legal safeguards against corruption risks implementing defense procurement during martial state [Administratyvno-pravovi harantii zapobihannia koruptsiinym ryzykamy pry zdiisnenni oboronnykh zakupivel v umovakh voiennoho stanu]. Theory and Practice of Jurisprudence, 1(27), 26–44. https://doi.org/10.21564/2225-6555.2025.27.333389 (in Ukrainian)
15. Shopina, I. (2023). Prevention of corruption in military administration bodies as a social and security problem [Zapobihannia koruptsii v orhanakh viiskovoho upravlinnia yak sotsialna ta bezpekova problema]. Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Military Special Sciences, 3(55), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2217.2023.55.57-61 (in Ukrainian)
16. Valverde, P., Fernández, J., Buenaño, E., González-Avella, J. C., & Cosenza, M. G. (2024). Controlling systemic corruption through group size and salary dispersion of public servants. Heliyon, 10(3), e25148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25148
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Taras Mik