KYIV — Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) said it has arrested former energy minister German Galushchenko, who resigned in November amid a massive corruption scandal, as he was attempting to leave the country.It did not name Galushchenko explicitly, but he has been named by several prominent Ukrainian media organizations.Galushchenko was reportedly apprehended while on a train leaving Ukraine. It is unclear where he intended to travel to.“Initial investigative proceedings are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law and court sanctions. Details to follow,” the NABU added.Galushchenko was one of several ministers who resigned in 2025 as the NABU unveiled an alleged money-laundering conspiracy in the country’s energy sector that investigators believe was orchestrated by an ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky.The massive anti-corruption probe, dubbed Operation Midas, was the culmination of 15 months of investigating, Nabu and Ukraine’s other anti-corruption body, the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), said.They accused several people of orchestrating a scheme to embezzle money in Ukraine’s energy sector, including at the national nuclear opertor Energoatom.According to SAPO, the alleged $100m scheme was orchestrated by businessman Timur Mindich.SAPO’s investigators say Galushchenko helped Mindich manage illicit financial flows in the energy sector, while contractors working with Energoatom were forced to pay bribes of 10 to 15 percent to avoid losing contracts or facing payment delays.The scandal threatened to engulf Zelensky’s administration, which swept to power before Russia’s full-scale invasion on the promise to root out corruption.Zelensky’s chief-of-staff Andriy Yermak, his closest adviser throughout the war, resigned after his home was searched. Neither the president nor Yermak have been accused of any wrongdoing.Galushchenko was briefly justice minister, a post he held when he was told by Zelensky to resign in November, having served as energy minister for three years prior to that. His successor, Svitlana Hrynchuk, also resigned after being implicated in the scandal.Nabu gave no further details on Galuschenko’s detention, Radio Free Europe reported that he was being transported to Kyiv for further questioning.Galuschenko was among those alleged to have systematically collected kickbacks from Enerhoatom contractors worth between 10% and 15% of contract values.The anti-corruption bodies also said the huge sums had been laundered in the scheme and published photographs of bags full of cash. The funds were then transferred outside Ukraine, including to Russia, Nabu said.Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov was arrested in November on suspicion of “illicit enrichment”, having already been charged with abuse of office. — Agencies
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