Ukraine’s anti-graft bodies have accused a close Zelenskyy associate, Timur Mindich, of a $100 million corruption scheme in the energy sector.
Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk resigned amid mounting pressure.
The case threatens Ukraine’s credibility in its EU accession bid and efforts to curb corruption during wartime.
Key Zelenskyy Ally Accused Of $100 Million Corruption Scheme, Resigns
Ukraine’s Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who formerly headed the Energy Ministry, was also named in the probe but has denied any wrongdoing.
Summary
Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have accused a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of running a large-scale kickback and money-laundering scheme worth about $100 million in the country’s energy sector.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) alleged that businessman Timur Mindic, a long-time associate of Zelenskyy, orchestrated the diversion of funds through contracts linked to the state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.
Investigators claim that contractors were coerced into paying between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of contract values as bribes to secure or process payments. Ukraine’s Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who formerly headed the Energy Ministry, was also named in the probe but has denied any wrongdoing.
Following the allegations, both Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk resigned from their posts after Zelenskyy demanded their exit “as a matter of trust.” The investigation has already led to several detentions and over 70 raids across Ukraine.
The scandal comes at a politically sensitive moment for Kyiv, as the country struggles with ongoing Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure and seeks to meet anti-corruption benchmarks crucial for European Union membership talks.
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