Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to overhaul the country’s scandal-ridden energy sector as he looks to stem outrage following accusations of wide-spread corruption that have included an old friend and former business partner.
Zelenskyy on November 15 said the leadership of at least three state-run energy companies would be sacked and quickly replaced and that other changes were in the works.
“We are beginning an overhaul of key state-owned enterprises operating in the energy sector,” Zelenskyy said on social media.
“In parallel with the full audit of financial activities, the management of these companies should be replaced. Today, together with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Economics Minister Oleksiy Sobolev, we determined the procedure.”
It remains to be seen whether the changes will be sufficient to ease pressure Zelenskyy and satisfy Kyiv’s Western allies, who have urged the Ukrainian leader to do more to stem endemic corruption as it continues to battle against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Politico quoted an unnamed EU official as saying the “corruption” alleged in the probe is “revolting” and won’t help Ukraine’s reputation with international partners.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdog on November 10 announced a “large-scale operation” alleging tens of millions of dollars of graft in the energy sector in the midst of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), in a joint operation with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), said it found the scheme involves “a high-level criminal organization” aimed to “influence strategic enterprises in the public sector, in particular JSC Energoatom,” a state-owned nuclear energy company.
Changes To Come ‘Within A Week’
Zelenskyy called for a new supervisory board at Energoatom “within a week” that would enable a “complete overhaul of the company’s management.”
He also set changes atop Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned gas company, and at Ukrhydroenergo, the state-owned hydro power generator.
“In a week, all conditions should be provided for the formation of a new and professional supervisory board of the company, and thanks to this, a complete reboot of the management board of Energoatom.”
“At Ukrhydroenergo — [there will be] an urgent tender for a new head of the company and additional formation of the supervisory board.”
Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned gas company, “should announce and hold a competition for work on the company’s supervisory board so that this new composition can start working in January 2026.
“In other large state-owned energy companies, the renewal of state representatives on supervisory boards should take place,” he added.
Fleeing To Poland
The list of suspects in the anti-corruption probe includes people at the highest levels of government and other high-profile figures, with much centered around Timur Mindich, a longstanding close collaborator of Zelenskyy’s.
Reporting by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, showed that Mindich fled Ukraine for Poland hours before authorities launched raids in connection with their investigation, prompting some critics to allege he had been alerted ahead of the action.
Mindich’s involvement also led to uproar due to his past connections to leading political figures, including Zelenskyy. Mindich is a co-owner of the Kvartal 95 comedy troupe that Zelenskyy also co-owned before he ran for political office.
The business was an important vehicle for Zelenskyy to gain popularity as a comedian and actor before entering politics. Mindich was also a business partner with billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskiy, who backed Zelenskyy’s 2019 presidential campaign and who has been in pretrial detention since 2023 on fraud and money-laundering charges.
Zelenskyy has moved to distance himself from Mindich and the other seven people formally suspected in the investigation. On November 13, he signed a decree imposing sanctions including asset freezes on Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman, who is also charged and also left the country
The probe has been carried out by anti-corruption institutions that Zelenskyy tried to muzzle before the biggest street protests since Russia’s full-scale invasion forced him to back down in the summer.
High-Profile Figures
Another high-profile figure involved in the case is Herman Halushchenko, who was suspended from his position of justice minister on November 12. He previously served as energy minister.
Halushchenko said he would defend himself in court from claims he had received “personal benefits” from Mindich in an alleged kickback scheme.
On November 12, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk tendered her resignation, following a call by Zelenskyy for her to go. She insisted she had not broken the law and has not been implicated.
Former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is currently secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, are also implicated in the case.
Changes were ordered atop Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz.
Umerov has denied involvement. Separate corruption charges were brought against Chernyshov in June.
Zelenskyy praised the anti-corruption investigation, which involved more than 70 raids, saying that “all and any steps against corruption are very necessary.”
Ukraine’s Western allies — who have provided billions of dollars in military and financial assistance — have urged Zelenskyy to do more to fight longstanding corruption in the war-torn country.
Politico quoted an unnamed EU official as saying the “corruption” alleged in the probe is “revolting” and won’t help Ukraine’s reputation with international partners.
In a statement on X, Group of 7 (G7) ambassadors on November 15 said they “welcomed Zelenskyy’s cooperation and support for NABU/SAPO’s independent investigation. We count on Ukraine’s leadership to continue its anticorruption efforts, which is key to Ukrainne/Euro-Atlantic integration.
“As Russian attacks persist, we continue to support Ukraine’s energy resilience.”
The scandal comes as Ukraine’s energy sector has struggled with power outages and damages caused by nearly nightly Russian drone and missile attacks on crucial civilian infrastructure sites.
