NABU may have recorded conversations involving Zelensky with the help of Kolomoisky’s associate

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) may have recorded President Volodymyr Zelensky in connection with the case of businessman and co-owner of the “Kvartal 95” studio, Timur Mindich, just before the scandal over the reduction of anti-corruption bodies’ powers.

This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources.

“According to sources in business circles, NABU and SAPO officers managed to place Mindich at an apartment at the same address where President Zelensky celebrated his birthday five years ago. The sources are convinced that the recordings may include the president himself,” the article states.

According to the outlet, the preparation of charges against a businessman close to the president may have triggered the attack on NABU. In early June, NABU had already detained a relative of Mindich as he tried to flee Ukraine. He is accused of embezzling 664 million hryvnias through tenders involving Kharkivoblenergo.

Ukrainska Pravda also reports that during the war, Mindich has gained even more influence within the Presidential Office (OP), handling certain state matters without holding any formal position.

NABU is also investigating another figure close to Zelensky — former Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Rostyslav Shurma. According to the outlet, U.S. State Department officials seriously considered imposing sanctions against Shurma in 2024 due to his excessive influence over Ukraine’s economy. Shurma resigned and reportedly relocated to Germany.

In July, German law enforcement authorities conducted searches at Shurma’s residence in Germany as part of a case being handled by NABU.

The report indicates that the Presidential Office’s pushback against NABU is at least partly motivated by the agency’s efforts to bring charges against Zelensky’s inner circle, including Mindich — who is referred to as “the president’s wallet.”

For about three months, NABU allegedly wiretapped Mindich’s apartment, where Zelensky may have also been recorded, by accessing it through the apartment of Borys Boholiubov, a business associate of Ihor Kolomoisky.

According to MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, NABU officers helped Boholiubov flee the country in exchange for assistance with the surveillance.

Honcharenko claims Boholiubov’s apartment — located above Mindich’s unit in the building at 9a Hrushevskoho Street — was used to drill into and eavesdrop on Mindich’s apartment.

“For this help, Boholiubov was taken out of the country,” Honcharenko states.

According to him, Mindich’s apartment functioned as a shadow presidential office, where discussions were held on arms contracts, bribes in the energy sector, asset seizures, and which major business figures should be targeted with sanctions.