Ukrainian authorities have detained a former energy minister suspected of involvement in a large kickback and money-laundering scheme, anti-corruption prosecutors said on Monday.
The suspect, who served as energy minister from 2021 to 2025, was detained over the weekend while trying to leave the country, according to the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutors said he faces charges including money laundering and participation in a criminal organization but did not formally name him.
The case is part of a sweeping investigation known as Operation Midas, which centers on an alleged kickback scheme worth more than $100 million involving Ukraine’s state nuclear energy sector. The probe has already forced the resignation of two energy ministers and ensnared senior officials and business figures.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine said the criminal network received more than $112 million in cash from illegal activity in the energy sector during the suspect’s tenure. Investigators said evidence was gathered through domestic inquiries and international cooperation.
Ukrainian media have identified the detained official as German Galushchenko, who was reportedly stopped while traveling by train near the border. Authorities have not confirmed his destination.
The investigation has put pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration, which came to power on pledges to fight corruption. Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned last year after his home was searched, though neither he nor the president has been accused of wrongdoing.
Anti-graft agencies allege that officials systematically collected kickbacks of 10% to 15% from contracts linked to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear operator. Investigators say large sums were laundered and moved abroad, including to Russia. Photos released by authorities showed bags filled with cash.
Several other high-profile figures have been implicated. Former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov was arrested last November on suspicion of illicit enrichment. Businessman Timur Mindich, a co-owner of Zelenskyy’s former TV studio Kvartal 95, reportedly fled the country after being named a suspect.
The scandal has sparked public anger, as it emerged while Russia intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during winter. Tackling corruption remains a key condition for Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union.
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