Ukrainian anti-corruption agency releases part of the "Midas tapes" on large-scale corruption in energy sector

Artur Kryzhnyi — 10 November, 12:19

A Ukrainian Energy Ministry nameplate on the façade of a government building. Photo: Getty Images

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have published part of the audio recordings from Operation Midas, an investigation into a large-scale corruption scheme in the Ukrainian energy sector.

Source: NABU

Details: The investigation lasted 15 months. More than 70 searches were carried out, with all NABU detectives involved and over 1,000 hours of audio recordings collected.

The probe concerns the activities of senior officials in the energy and defence sectors who are suspected of forming a criminal organisation, money laundering and illicit enrichment.

What is on the tapes

The individuals on the tapes, who use the codenames Rocket, Tenor and Karlson, discuss the construction of energy facilities, the division of kickbacks, and potential personnel changes at the Energy Ministry and Energoatom, Ukraine's state-owned nuclear power company.

9 July 2025 – "Tenor": "They're planning to keep building protective structures; the figures are huge."

"Rocket": "Tell the suppliers that everyone understands – something is about to happen, because we're seeing increases [i.e. the amounts of kickbacks are going up due to a possible change of leadership at the Energy Ministry and Energoatom]."

30 June 2025 – "Karlson": "I don't want to end up being served with a notice of suspicion."

NABU and SAPO have not yet named those involved, but noted that the case concerns senior-level officials.

Background:

Ukrainska Pravda sources reported earlier that detectives from NABU were conducting searches at the home of Tymur Mindich, a businessman and co-owner of Kvartal 95, on the morning of 10 November.
According to Ukrainska Pravda sources, Mindich left Ukraine just hours before the searches on 10 November.
Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that NABU detectives were conducting searches at the home of Justice Minister and previous energy minister Herman Halushchenko.
NABU confirmed earlier that, together with SAPO, it is conducting a major operation to expose corruption in the energy sector, saying: "Fifteen months of work and 1,000 hours of audio recordings. The activities of a high-level criminal organisation have been documented."
The individuals under investigation had built up an extensive corruption scheme influencing strategic public-sector companies, including Energoatom.

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