“NYT” reminds that Volodymyr Zelensky won the 2019 presidential election on promises to fight corruption, strengthening his political position ahead of the Russian invasion in 2022. Now, however, the investigation conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) covers people from his inner circle, and the scale of irregularities in Enerhoatom may reach up to several hundred million dollars.
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According to the findings of Ukrainian investigators, a criminal group led by Timur Mindych — a close associate of Zelensky and a former film producer – allegedly siphoned and laundered at least $100 million from Enerhoatom, the operator of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. High-ranking government officials were also involved in the practice and resigned or were dismissed after the scandal was revealed.
The pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky is growing
The American daily emphasizes that although the President of Ukraine is not directly related to the scandal, he has declared full support for the activities of law enforcement agencies and anti-corruption services. However, as “NYT” notes, more and more Ukrainians no longer perceive Zelensky as a leader who was supposed to open politics to people outside the circle of oligarchs, but as a person operating in a closed environment where no rules apply.
The publication of wiretapping recordings by NABU additionally increased the pressure on the president. “NYT” points out that it is not known how extensive the investigation is and whether it may cover other people from Zelensky's entourage.
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On the one hand, the president declares that he has broken off contacts with the officials involved in the case, on the other – in July, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), subordinated to him, obstructed NABU's activities when one of Mindycz's relatives was arrested..
Behind the scenes of the investigation and Western reactions to the Enerhoatom scandal
According to “NYT”, the NABU investigation revealed that those involved in the practice included: Minister of Justice Herman Hałushchenko and head of the Ministry of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk. They both resigned after the scandal broke out. Former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov also resigned during the summer government reshuffle. Mindycz himself allegedly left Ukraine just before his house was searched, leaving through Poland to another country.
The newspaper reminds that Zelensky tried to limit the powers of NABU in July, but ultimately, under the influence of social protests and pressure from the West, the institution retained its powers. During the investigation, NABU officials were even accused of acting for Russia or being Russian agents.
Read also: Scandal in the Ukrainian energy sector. President Zelensky under pressure
“NYT” informs that it was not possible to obtain a comment from Timur Mindycz regarding the allegations against him. The American daily also recalls the reactions of politicians from Western countries who once again called on the Ukrainian authorities to decisively fight corruption.
