Ukraine's security council chief questioned in corruption probe, media report

KYIV (Reuters) -Senior Ukrainian security official Rustem Umerov, a key figure in peace negotiations with Moscow and Washington, was questioned as a witness by anti-corruption investigators probing Ukraine's biggest wartime graft scandal, two local media outlets reported.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine invited Umerov to testify as part of its probe of Timur Mindich, the suspected ringleader of a $100 million kickback scheme involving the state nuclear energy company, the outlets quoted Umerov's press office as saying.

They did not say when Umerov had been questioned.

Umerov's spokesperson did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. Authorities have not accused him of any wrongdoing. A NABU spokesperson said the agency would not comment on the reports.

KEY PLAYER IN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, led Kyiv's delegation to peace talks with Russian representatives in Turkey this spring. Reuters reported this week, citing sources, that he had also met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami this month to discuss a peace proposal.

The initial draft of that proposal was viewed by Kyiv and its European allies as being too favourable to Moscow. A Ukrainian team including Umerov then negotiated a counter-proposal in Switzerland with U.S. officials.

NABU announced its investigation of the suspected kickback scheme two weeks ago, unleashing a political storm which has become the biggest domestic threat to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hold on power since Russia's invasion in 2022.

Seven people have been charged and five of them are currently in detention.

Ukraine's justice and energy ministers were dismissed over the scandal, although both denied any wrongdoing.

Mindich, a former business partner of Zelenskiy in his days as a television star, left Ukraine shortly before the investigation was made public on November 10.

Umerov, who served as Ukraine's defence minister until a July cabinet reshuffle, has previously said he met Mindich to raise issues around a contract for the supply of body armour.

"As a result, the contract was terminated due to the product’s failure to meet requirements, and no items were ever delivered," he wrote on social media on November 11.

"Any attempts to link my work at the Ministry of Defence with the 'influence' of certain individuals are unfounded."

(Reporting by Max Hunder, additional reporting by Olena HarmashEditing by Gareth Jones)