Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk following a corruption scandal in the energy sector, as public outrage grows. The two ministers are accused of involvement in a large-scale bribery scheme allegedly orchestrated by Timur Mindich, a former business partner and friend of Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy called for personal sanctions against Mindich, the alleged organiser of the scheme, and stressed the need for integrity. “There must be maximum integrity in the energy sector, in absolutely all processes,” he said. “It is absolutely unacceptable that, amid all this, there are also some [corruption] schemes in the energy sector.”
The scandal stems from a 15-month investigation by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) into state nuclear company Energoatom. Nabu named seven suspects involved in a $100m scheme, where counterparties were forced to pay kickbacks of 10-15% to avoid payment blocks or loss of supplier status. Audio recordings released by Nabu feature code names, with Halushchenko referred to as “Professor” and Mindich as “Karlson”.
Both ministers submitted resignations on Wednesday, denying wrongdoing. Halushchenko said his suspension was “appropriate” and vowed to defend himself after a former adviser was implicated. The affair has triggered protests in Kyiv, with thousands demanding accountability. Earlier this year, Zelenskyy approved a bill weakening anti-corruption bodies, sparking demonstrations, but later reversed course.
