Who we are?
NAKO - The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (previously - The Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee) - is an independent civil society organization whose function is to reduce the level of corruption and advance good governance in the areas critical for Ukraine's national security.
Mission
Our vision is a Ukrainian defence and security sector that is effective, accountable and far less susceptible to corruption. 

Our mission is to reduce opportunities for corruption through strong research, effective advocacy for reform, and increased public awareness, in order to strengthen the Ukrainian defence and security sector’s ability to face challenges to the country’s sovereignty and democratic institutions. 

Our aim is to reduce the opportunities for corruption in the Ukrainian defence sector in a number of high-risk areas. NAKO produces credible, well-researched and timely evidence and recommendations, and advocates for their implementation. NAKO aims to promote effective legislation, policy and guidance that changes behaviours within defence and security institutions. While working with and supporting the Ministry of Defence, armed forces, defence industry and major anti-corruption bodies, we remain dedicated to maintaining our independence and credibility; remaining free from influence and publicly trusted is core to NAKO’s purpose.
Strategy
Reducing corruption risks in defence spending and promoting good governance in the defence and security sector
Increasing accountability and transparency of Ukraine’s defence industry
Strengthening civil democratic control over the defence and security sector and reducing over-classification
International Advocacy
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History
NAKO started as a joint initiative by Transparency International Defence & Security and Transparency International Ukraine from 2016 to 2019
Since 2019, NAKO has been working as an independent organization that is a strategic partner of Transparency International. In the context of the Crimea annexation and armed conflict in the East, which poses a serious risk of escalation and armed confrontation between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the primary task of the Government of Ukraine is to strengthen the county's defence and security capabilities. The lack of accountability in the defence and security sector and a high level of secrecy in defence expenditures are among the main risks for corruption and national security.

The need has emerged for an independent external body, that could control progress in anti-corruption reforms; address the requests to the countyr's leaders responsible for reforms; and provide donors, international representatives, and civil society with an objective assessment of the Government’s actions in fighting against corruption in the defence and security sector.
How It All Began

In 2016, Ukrainian civil activists and international experts created the Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Committee (NAKO). At first, NAKO was a project focused on Ukraine’s defence sector exclusively. It consisted of three Ukrainian and three international experts.

In 2019, with the support of its founders, NAKO grew into an independent civil society organization that works to reduce corruption risks and promote good governance in areas critical for national security. To reflect the broadening of its mandate, NAKO received a new name: the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission. Currently, NAKO maintains a strategic partnership with the Transparency International movement. Relations between NAKO, Transparency International Ukraine, and Transparency International Defence and Security are regulated by a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding.

NAKO’s key governing body is the Conference of Members, which includes highly reputable experts in governance, anti-corruption, and media. The Conference has both Ukrainian and international members. In between the meetings of the Conference of Members, NAKO is governed by an independent professional Board. The Executive Director is responsible for NAKO’s operational management.

In 2021, NAKO’s work is kindly supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Great Britain and the Embassy of France to Ukraine. Previously, NAKO’s work has also been supported by the International Renaissance Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI).

Achievements
Targeting the Russian defence industry
In response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, NAKO has joined the collective efforts to weaken the Russian war machine. Our organization mainly focused on sanctions against the Russian defence industry and the supply of critical components used to produce weapons and equipment used by the Russian Army.
Advancing Good Governance at Ukroboronprom
Since 2017, NAKO has been advancing the implementation of the OECD corporate governance and anticorruption standards at the UOP
Strategy for Defence Industry Development 2021
NAKO contributed to the adoption of the Strategy of the Defence Industry Development by the Cabinet of Ministers in the version which is closer to the Euro-Atlantic Standards than it was originally
Promoting Defence Procurement Reform
Due to NAKO’s active engagement, the Law “On Defence Procurement” was voted by the Parliament on July 17, 2020, after lengthy discussions and revisions
Reducing Corruption Risks in the Ministry of Defence
Within the framework of this project, five specialised working groups were established at the MoD, each of which was joined by NAKO experts
The Week of Parliamentary Oversight over the Defence and Security Sector
The Week aimed at sharing experience between the Ukrainian MPs and their colleagues from the EU/NATO countries became a success
The Presidential Questionnaire: Monitoring Zelensky’s Commitments in Defence and Security
In 2019, President Volodymyr Zelensky, together with the other 15 presidential candidates, publicly committed to implementing NAKO’s policy recommendations due to sustained engagement during the electoral campaign
Bohdan-Motors Military Ambulances and Other Cases of Monitoring of MoD Procurement
As a result of our work, the MOD recognised a  potential conflict of interest in the 2017 procurement of 100 Bohdan-Motors military ambulances through a classified procedure, and cancelled the second order
 
Board
Sevgil Musaieva
Editor-in-chief of Ukrainska Pravda online media
Giovanni Kessler
Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office
Andrii Borovyk
Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine
Andrew Bain
President of Atlantic Group
Larry Henderson
Center for Advanced Defenсe Studies (C4ADS)
Team
Olena Tregub
Executive Director
(@otregub)
Viktoriia Vyshnivska
Senior Researcher
Svitlana Musiiaka
Head of Research and Policy
Andrii Muravsky
Communications and Advocacy Officer
Emiliia Dieniezhna
Head of Communications and Advocacy
Oksana Krasitska
Finance and Grants Manager
 
Anatolii Iahin
Head of Operations
Nina Rakhylchuk
Accountant
Vladyslav Halytsky
Operations Officer
Kostiantyn Kuznietsov
Research Fellow
Anna Zahorodko
Intern
Maksym Kostetskyi
Senior Legal Advisor
Oleksandr Saienko
Military Expert-Analyst
Olha Kyrian
Legal Advisor
Oksana Nesterenko
Senior Advisor
Marta Kharynovych
Junior Analyst
Olena Tregub
Executive Director
(@otregub)
Svitlana Musiiaka
Head of Research and Policy
Emiliia Dieniezhna
Head of Communications and Advocacy
Anatolii Iahin
Head of Operations
Vladyslav Halytsky
Operations Officer
Anna Zahorodko
Intern
Oleksandr Saienko
Military Expert-Analyst
Oksana Nesterenko
Senior Advisor
Viktoriia Vyshnivska
Senior Researcher
Andrii Muravsky
Communications and Advocacy Officer
Oksana Krasitska
Finance and Grants Manager
 
Nina Rakhylchuk
Accountant
Kostiantyn Kuznietsov
Research Fellow
Maksym Kostetskyi
Senior Legal Advisor
Olha Kyrian
Legal Advisor
Marta Kharynovych
Junior Analyst