The emerging scandal has reportedly forced a former associate of the Ukrainian leader to flee the country
Vladimir Zelensky. © Mert Gokhankoc/Getty Images
A probe by a Western-backed anti-corruption agency, that Vladimir Zelensky unsuccessfully tried to take control of, has forced the resignation of his justice and energy ministers.
On Wednesday, Justice Minister German Galushchenko tendered his resignation, followed by Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk hours later, with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko confirming the officials’ decisions.
The resignations followed a probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) targeting a “high-level criminal organization” allegedly headed by a former business associate of Zelensky, Timur Mindich.
READ MORE:
Who is Timur Mindich, the Zelensky ally at the center of Ukraine’s latest corruption scandal? (VIDEO)
Show latestShow oldest
-
12 November 2025
18:12 GMT
The Russian Embassy in the Netherlands has asked Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof if he is “still ready to pour billions into Ukraine after Zelensky’s close ally Timur Mindich has been accused of a $100 million corruption scheme?” The X post is accompanied by a meme suggesting that the Dutch government might opt to “help [the] corrupt ukrainian junta,” instead of addressing domestic social issues.
Is @Minpres still ready to pour billions into Ukraine after Zelensky’s close ally Timur Mindich has been accused of a $100 million corruption scheme? pic.twitter.com/SfiVfd3sTk
— Russian Embassy in NL🇷🇺🇳🇱 (@rusembassynl) November 12, 2025
- 17:47 GMT
Long-time Financial Times Kiev correspondent Christopher Miller has noted on X that while Zelensky’s office promised to impose sanctions on Timur Mindich, the latter somehow “managed to flee Ukraine” already.
President Zelensky, trying to get in front of the massive corruption scandal roiling Ukraine and his cabinet, has instructed his prime minister to get resignations from Justice Minister and former energy minister German Galushchenko, and his successor Svitlana Hrynchuk.… https://t.co/Ch9IgtteJi
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 12, 2025
- 17:46 GMT
An anti-corruption court in Kiev has placed another suspect in the graft investigation, Lesya Ustimenko, in pre-trial custody for 60 days, local media has reported. She is suspected of working in the ring’s “back office” and helping launder some 145 million hryvnia ($3,4 million).
- 17:43 GMT
The NABU investigation – codenamed Operation Midas – lasted about 15 months and involved 1,000 hours of wiretapping, the authorities have stated. During the course of the probe, multiple bags of cash were seized. According to investigators, the suspects – five of whom have been apprehended – manipulated contracts at Energoatom, extracting kickbacks worth 10-15% of contract values. The ring is believed to have amassed around $100 million.
- 17:28 GMT
Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Aleksandr Dubinsky has claimed in a post on X that the unfolding corruption scandal marks the “beginning of the end for Zelensky.” He said that “blatant theft” has been uncovered by anti-corruption investigators, for which there can be “no justification.” The MP further alleged that those involved enjoyed the personal protection of Zelensky.
In my opinion, the corruption scandals surrounding Tymur Mindich, Justice Minister Halushchenko, and Energy Minister Hrynchuk mark the beginning of the end for Zelensky.This isn’t even like the infamous “Svinarchuk case” — where a senior official under ex-President Poroshenko… pic.twitter.com/2GiG0HorAl
— Oleksandr Dubinskyi (@Dubinsky_pro) November 11, 2025
- 16:59 GMT
In July, Zelensky attempted to strip the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) of its independence, only to backtrack shortly afterwards in the face of sharp criticism from Ukraine’s Western backers. Zelensky’s move was perceived by some observers as a ploy to shield his inner circle from scrutiny.
The current anti-corruption framework was established after the 2014 Maidan coup, with the stated goal of preventing the embezzlement of foreign aid under Ukraine’s new political leadership.
- 16:50 GMT
The high-profile corruption scandal “could bring down” Zelensky, The Spectator has claimed. The British media outlet speculated that the revelations have cast a cloud on the Ukrainian leader’s political future, despite him paying lip service to anti-corruption investigators.
- 16:26 GMT
An anti-corruption court in Kiev has ruled that a former aide to Energy Minister Grinchuk be kept in custody for 60 days, unless he can lodge a bail of 126 million hryvnias ($3 million). Igor Mironyuk is a suspect in the major corruption investigation involving Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.
More
-
12 November 2025
16:26 GMT
An anti-corruption court in Kiev has ruled that a former aide to Energy Minister Grinchuk be kept in custody for 60 days, unless he can lodge a bail of 126 million hryvnias ($3 million). Igor Mironyuk is a suspect in the major corruption investigation involving Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.
- 16:50 GMT
The high-profile corruption scandal “could bring down” Zelensky, The Spectator has claimed. The British media outlet speculated that the revelations have cast a cloud on the Ukrainian leader’s political future, despite him paying lip service to anti-corruption investigators.
- 16:59 GMT
In July, Zelensky attempted to strip the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) of its independence, only to backtrack shortly afterwards in the face of sharp criticism from Ukraine’s Western backers. Zelensky’s move was perceived by some observers as a ploy to shield his inner circle from scrutiny.
The current anti-corruption framework was established after the 2014 Maidan coup, with the stated goal of preventing the embezzlement of foreign aid under Ukraine’s new political leadership.
- 17:28 GMT
Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Aleksandr Dubinsky has claimed in a post on X that the unfolding corruption scandal marks the “beginning of the end for Zelensky.” He said that “blatant theft” has been uncovered by anti-corruption investigators, for which there can be “no justification.” The MP further alleged that those involved enjoyed the personal protection of Zelensky.
In my opinion, the corruption scandals surrounding Tymur Mindich, Justice Minister Halushchenko, and Energy Minister Hrynchuk mark the beginning of the end for Zelensky.This isn’t even like the infamous “Svinarchuk case” — where a senior official under ex-President Poroshenko… pic.twitter.com/2GiG0HorAl
— Oleksandr Dubinskyi (@Dubinsky_pro) November 11, 2025
- 17:43 GMT
The NABU investigation – codenamed Operation Midas – lasted about 15 months and involved 1,000 hours of wiretapping, the authorities have stated. During the course of the probe, multiple bags of cash were seized. According to investigators, the suspects – five of whom have been apprehended – manipulated contracts at Energoatom, extracting kickbacks worth 10-15% of contract values. The ring is believed to have amassed around $100 million.
- 17:46 GMT
An anti-corruption court in Kiev has placed another suspect in the graft investigation, Lesya Ustimenko, in pre-trial custody for 60 days, local media has reported. She is suspected of working in the ring’s “back office” and helping launder some 145 million hryvnia ($3,4 million).
- 17:47 GMT
Long-time Financial Times Kiev correspondent Christopher Miller has noted on X that while Zelensky’s office promised to impose sanctions on Timur Mindich, the latter somehow “managed to flee Ukraine” already.
President Zelensky, trying to get in front of the massive corruption scandal roiling Ukraine and his cabinet, has instructed his prime minister to get resignations from Justice Minister and former energy minister German Galushchenko, and his successor Svitlana Hrynchuk.… https://t.co/Ch9IgtteJi
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 12, 2025
- 18:12 GMT
The Russian Embassy in the Netherlands has asked Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof if he is “still ready to pour billions into Ukraine after Zelensky’s close ally Timur Mindich has been accused of a $100 million corruption scheme?” The X post is accompanied by a meme suggesting that the Dutch government might opt to “help [the] corrupt ukrainian junta,” instead of addressing domestic social issues.
Is @Minpres still ready to pour billions into Ukraine after Zelensky’s close ally Timur Mindich has been accused of a $100 million corruption scheme? pic.twitter.com/SfiVfd3sTk
— Russian Embassy in NL🇷🇺🇳🇱 (@rusembassynl) November 12, 2025
More