The arrest of the former head of Ukraine’s Energy Ministry was called the latest episode in Mindich’s corruption case

The arrest of former Ukrainian energy minister Herman Halushchenko has become the latest episode in a corruption scandal that has seriously shaken the cabinet of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This was reported by the newspaper Financial Times.

According to the journalists, the scandal has caused concern among Kyiv’s foreign partners. The reason is that Ukraine is seeking accelerated accession to the European Union and continues to ask its allies for billions of dollars in financial and military aid.

The authors note that Halushchenko was taken into custody after searches of his home and office. These were carried out in late 2025 as part of “Operation Midas”—an investigation launched by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.

“This scheme triggered a strong public reaction and has become one of the most serious political threats to Zelenskyy’s administration, which came to power with a historically large mandate and a promise to eradicate corruption,” the article says.

The former energy minister was detained on the night of February 15. Halushchenko was removed from a train traveling from Kyiv to Warsaw.

On February 16, the former minister was charged with money laundering and participation in a criminal organization as part of a case involving Tymur Mindych, described as a former business partner of Zelenskyy. Investigators believe that Halushchenko helped Mindych’s group siphon off $112 million from the company Energoatom for subsequent laundering. In return, the ex-minister allegedly received about $12 million.