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 an embezzlement scheme in the energy sector worth about $100 million (£76 million), 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, who has reportedly fled the country.
Halushchenko stated he would defend himself against the accusations, while Grynchuk claimed there were no violations of the law within her professional scope.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap) stated that the investigation, which lasted 15 months and included 1,000 hours of audio recordings, found several government members involved.
According to Nabu, individuals involved systematically collected kickbacks from Enerhoatom contractors, ranging from 10% to 15% of contract values.
The scandal involves laundering significant sums of money, with evidence including bags full of cash. Funds were reportedly transferred outside Ukraine, including to Russia.
Moreover, prosecutors alleged that the proceeds were laundered through an office in Kyiv tied to former Ukrainian lawmaker and current Russian senator Andriy Derkach's family.
As new details of the investigation emerge daily, the scandal unfolds against the backdrop of escalating Russian assaults on Ukrainian energy facilities, shining a spotlight on ongoing corruption in Ukraine despite established anti-corruption agencies.
Nationwide protests earlier this year arose due to changes undermining Nabu and Sap's independence, viewed as a threat to Ukraine's EU candidacy, granted only if it effectively tackles corruption. The backlash became the most intense challenge to the Ukrainian government since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022, prompting Zelensky to restore the independence of key anti-corruption institutions.
This latest scandal, however, raises further concerns regarding Zelensky’s anti-corruption commitments and the future of Ukraine’s governance.
