During investigation of corruption case in energy sector, names of 4 ministers from different periods were recorded – NABU detective
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) recorded the involvement of four ministers from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine during its investigation into a large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector, NABU detective Oleksandr Abakumov said.
"In different situations throughout the investigation of this criminal case, we recorded four Cabinet ministers," Abakumov said during the UP.Chat program on Tuesday.
The detective clarified that the ministers served in different periods.
"Four ministers who, at various times, held top positions in the respective ministries. I can't specify which ministries, because that could potentially harm our investigation. But that's the situation," he said.
Earlier, MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak announced that he had initiated the dismissal of Justice Minister Herman Haluschenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk.
He explained that he submitted to parliament a motion to dismiss Haluschenko "for systemic corruption, failure to prepare for the defense of the energy system, and connections with traitor Andriy Derkach." According to Zhelezniak, Hrynchuk "also represents Myndych's interests in the government, having previously done so while serving as Minister of Ecology."
NABU has been developing Operation Midas since the summer of 2024 and has now entered its final phase.
As previously reported, NABU identified several participants in the large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector, including a member of the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) Serhiy Pushkar, businessman Tymur Myndych, former Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security at Energoatom JSC Dmytro Basov, and former Energy Minister's adviser Ihor Mironiuk.
According to NABU, the main activity of the criminal organization was the systematic receipt of illicit profits from Energoatom's contractors amounting to 10–15% of contract values. Contractors were coerced into paying "kickbacks" to avoid blocked payments for services or supplies, or to prevent losing supplier status. This practice became known as the "barrier" scheme, according to a Telegram post on Monday.
The head of the criminal organization recruited a former deputy head of the State Property Fund, who later became an adviser to the energy minister, and a former law enforcement officer who served as executive director for physical protection and security at Energoatom. Using official connections in the ministry and the state company, they ensured control over personnel decisions, procurement processes, and financial flows.
In practice, the management of a strategic enterprise with annual revenues exceeding UAH 200 billion was carried out not by official executives, but by outsiders with no formal authority who acted as "overseers."
Anti-corruption agencies also released some of the audio recordings obtained during the investigation.
NABU noted: "Fifteen months of work and 1,000 hours of audio recordings. The activities of a high-level criminal organization have been documented. Its members built a large-scale corruption network influencing strategic state-owned enterprises, particularly JSC Energoatom."