Headline Roundup • November 13th, 2025
$100M Corruption Scandal Rattles Zelenskyy’s Government, Prompts Resignations
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies alleged on Monday that some of President Zelenskyy’s close associates were involved in a $100 million kickback scheme, leading to the resignations of Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko.
The Details: The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) alleged Halushchenko and other top ministers received kickbacks from contractors building defenses for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The agencies said the investigation had spanned 15 months and involved 1,000 hours of audio recordings. Conspirators allegedly manipulated contracts at Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom to extract 10-15% of contract values and laundered the kickbacks through a secret Kyiv office.
The Charges: Seven were charged, including former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, former advisor to the Energy Minister Ihor Myroniuk, businessman Oleksandr Tsukerman, and businessman Timur Mindich. Mindich, a co-owner of the Zelenskyy-founded production studio Kvartal95, has fled to Israel. A full list of those charged has not been released, and Halushchenko and Hrynchuk – who’ve resigned at Zelenskyy’s request – have not been charged.
For Context: NABU and SAP were founded in 2015 at the insistence of the EU and other nations. In July, Zelenskyy signed a law that stripped NABU and SAP of their independence, though after protests and pressure from the EU, he undid the law.
Key Statements: Hrynchuk said, “Within the scope of my professional activities there were no violations of the law.” Halushchenko said he will defend himself in court if necessary.
How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the media spectrum framed the allegations as a serious liability for President Zelenskyy. ZeroHedge (Lean Right bias) wrote that “Western mainstream media almost immediately launched into damage control” and cited a Bloomberg (Lean Left) opinion that said “it should come as no surprise if there proves to have been a Russian connection at the heart of the operation.”
Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Ukraine was roiled this week by the most damaging corruption scandal of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidency.
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies revealed Monday that some of Zelenskyy’s close associates were allegedly involved in a plot to skim around $100 million from Ukraine’s energy sector.
Reuters
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 a embezzlement scheme in the energy sector worth about $100m (£76m), including at the national nuclear operator Enerhoatom.
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...
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