Largest Wartime Bribery Probe in Ukraine Names Ex-Energoatom Official as Suspect
Major Developments in Ukraine's Energy Sector Corruption Case
By Yuliia Dysa
Ex-Energoatom Official Named as Suspect
KYIV, July 10 (Reuters) - A former official at Ukraine's state nuclear company Energoatom was formally named a suspect on Friday as Kyiv's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) presses ahead with the biggest wartime corruption case in the energy sector.
Details of the Alleged Crime
NABU said on Telegram that the executive director responsible for the physical protection and security of Energoatom facilities was suspected of laundering more than 30 million hryvnias ($674,000) from 2023 to 2025.
Energoatom's Response
The agency did not name the official. There was no immediate comment from Energoatom, but it has previously said it was cooperating with the investigation and had suspended several employees at NABU's request.
Context: Energy Infrastructure Under Threat
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, protecting Ukraine's energy infrastructure has become a critical priority as Moscow has repeatedly targeted power lines, substations and generating facilities with missile and drone attacks.
The Midas Case and Political Fallout
Scope of the Kickback Scheme
The so-called Midas case, which authorities say involved a $100 million kickback scheme at Energoatom, has engulfed figures close to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and cast a shadow over Ukraine's government at a time when Kyiv is seeking to demonstrate to Western allies that it can tackle high-level corruption.
Key Figures Implicated
Detention of Energy Minister
The detention in February of German Galushchenko, Ukraine's energy minister from 2021 to 2025, marked a major development in the case. He has denied wrongdoing.
Other High-Profile Suspects
Anti-corruption authorities have accused Timur Mindich, Zelenskiy's former business partner, of leading the kickback scheme and also named Zelenskiy's former chief of staff Andriy Yermak as a suspect. Both have also denied wrongdoing.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa. Editing by Mark Potter)
