Four government ministers identified in Energoatom embezzlement probe, says Ukrainian anti‑corruption detective

Oleksandr Abakumov, head of the NABU detective unit that has been investigating the embezzlement scheme at the state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom, has said that in the course of the investigation, detectives have documented the involvement of four Cabinet ministers in various contexts.

Source: Oleksandr Abakumov, speaking to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "I won't say much, but I can say this – in different situations during the investigation of this criminal case, we recorded four ministers from the Cabinet of Ministers."

Details: Abakumov added that they served at different times.

"Some were ministers earlier, some later, so not all four of them are current ministers," he said.

He did not specify which serving or former ministers were involved, noting that "disclosing this information could undermine the investigation".

Ukrainska Pravda editor-in-chief Sevğil Musaieva pointed out that two ministers have already been named in the case, to which Abakumov replied that "their actions are currently being assessed to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of any criminal activity".

He also stated that NABU believes the criminal organisation had two leaders. However, he declined to comment on whether one of them is Tymur Mindich, a businessman, co-owner of TV production company Kvartal 95 and associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"There are [believed to be] two leaders of the criminal organisation at this stage. We have identified them as such based on the evidence collected," Abakumov said.

Background:

• Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that on the morning of 10 November, NABU detectives conducted searches at the home of Tymur Mindich, a businessman and co-owner of Kvartal 95, the Ukrainian TV production company Volodymyr Zelenskyy founded before he became president.
• According to the same sources, Mindich left Ukraine hours before the search began.
• NABU confirmed that, together with SAPO, it is conducting a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector. The investigators have uncovered an extensive corruption network influencing strategic state companies, including the state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.
• NABU and SAPO have released part of the audio recordings from Operation Midas, their investigation into the large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector.
• Energoatom confirmed that on 10 November, investigative actions were being conducted at its headquarters by representatives of NABU and SAPO.
• On 10 November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he supports the ongoing investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) into corruption in the energy sector. Although Zelenskyy did not name names, reports suggest that an associate of his may be involved in the case.

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