Major corruption scandal engulfs top Zelensky allies

Ukraine's energy and justice ministers have resigned in the wake of a 
major investigation into corruption in the country's energy sector.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk 
and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko's removal on Wednesday.

On Monday anti-corruption bodies accused several people of orchestrating a 
embezzlement scheme in the energy sector worth about $100m (£76m), 
including at the national nuclear operator Enerhoatom.

Some of those implicated in the scandal are - or have been - close 
associates of Zelensky's.

The allegation is that Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and other key 
ministers and officials received payments from contractors building 
fortifications against Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Among those alleged to be involved are former Deputy Prime Minister 
Oleksiy Chernyshov and Timur Mindich - a businessman and a co-owner of 
Zelensky's former TV studio Kvartal95. He has since reportedly fled the 
country.

Halushchenko said he would defend himself against the accusations, while 
Grynchuk said on social media: "Within the scope of my professional 
activities there were no violations of the law."

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) and Specialised 
Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap) said the investigation - which 
was 15 months in the making and involved 1,000 hours of audio recordings - 
uncovered the participation of several members of the Ukrainian 
government.

According to Nabu, the people involved systematically collected kickbacks 
from Enerhoatom contractors worth between 10% and 15% of contract values.

The anti-corruption bodies also said the huge sums had been laundered in 
the scheme and published photographs of bags full of cash. The funds were 
then transferred outside Ukraine, including to Russia, Nabu said.

Prosecutors alleged that the scheme's proceeds were laundered through an 
office in Kyiv linked to the family of former Ukrainian lawmaker and 
current Russian senator Andriy Derkach.

Nabu has been releasing new snippets of its investigation and wiretaps 
every day and on Tuesday it promised more would come.

The scandal is unfolding against the backdrop of escalating Russian 
attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, including substations that supply 
electricity to nuclear power plants.

It will also shine a spotlight on corruption in Ukraine, which continues 
to be endemic despite work by Nabu and Sap in the 10 years since they were 
created.

In July, nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing the 
independence of Nabu and Sap. Ukrainians feared the nation could lose the 
coveted status of EU candidate country which it was granted on condition 
it mounted a credible fight against corruption.

Kyiv's European partners also expressed severe alarm at the decision, with 
ambassadors from the G7 group of nations expressing the desire to discuss 
the issue with the Ukrainian leadership.

The backlash was the most severe to hit the Ukrainian government since the 
start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 and was only quelled by 
Zelensky's decision to reinstate the freedom of the two anti-corruption 
bodies.

Yet for some that crisis brought into question Zelensky's dedication to 
anti-corruption reforms. The latest scandal threatens to lead to more 
awkward questions for the Ukrainian president.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8vw62j3g9o