Ukraine justice minister suspended over $100M corruption case rocking Zelensky’s govt

Ukraine suspended its justice minister on Wednesday after an investigation linked him to an alleged $100 million energy kickback scheme, a case that’s shaking trust in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wartime government.

Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who had previously served as energy minister, was suspended after one of his advisors had been named a suspect in the alleged scheme to control procurement at the Energoatom nuclear agency and other state enterprises.

Five suspects were charged this week in connection with the case, including long-time Zelensky ally Timur Mindich, the co-owner of the Kvartal-95 TV studio that brought the president national fame before his foray into politics.

The charges have fueled public outrage against the long history of corruption in Kyiv, serving as an especially harsh blow given the current state of Ukraine’s energy grid from Russia’s daily bombardments.

Galushchenko, who was not among the five arrested, said he agreed with the government’s decision to suspend him for the duration of the investigation, which is being handled by Ukraine’s National Anticorruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

“I will defend myself in the legal arena and prove my position,” the justice minister said.

The “high-level” case saw a slew of former officials and execs allegedly receive benefits and launder money through Energoatom, including a ploy to force contractors for the company to pay an illegal commission of 10-15% or risk losing their supplier status, NABU and SAPO allege.

“Using their official connections in the ministry and the state-owned company, [the suspects] ensured control over personnel decisions, procurement processes, and financial flows,”  the agencies said in a statement.

NABU added that the criminal organization also transferred funds to an “unnamed former deputy prime minister of Ukraine, referred to internally as Che Guevara.”

Some $1.2 million was transferred to this person, with the so-called Guevara transferring nearly half of it to his wife when he became the subject of investigation, NABU said.

During the investigation, NABU also obtained recordings of Galushchenko speaking with the suspects, a source familiar with the case told Reuters.

Kvartal 95, which produced the sitcom that propelled Zelensky to fame as a comedian and actor, distanced itself from Mindich, stating that he is not an active participant in the company, nor does he influence its contents or decisions.

Energoatom also stated that the corruption case has not impacted its operations to provide energy to Ukrainians.

The development is the latest blow to Zelensky, who has seen allies embroiled in corruption charges and whose government is still struggling to root out high levels of fraud — one of the key issues keeping Ukraine from being able to join the European Union.

Zelensky, who ran on a platform of ending the widespread corruption plaguing Kyiv, backed the latest move from NABU and SAPO, stating that those charged and linked to the scheme “cannot remain in their positions.”

“This is a matter of trust in particular. If there are accusations, they must be answered,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

With Post wires