Ukrainian authorities have charged seven people in connection with a $100 million corruption case involving senior officials at the state-owned energy company Energoatom.
Ukraine is under pressure to step up its fight against corruption as it tries to join the European Union and maintain the support of Western partners, at a time when it faces Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced that it has arrested five people and identified two others for conspiring to control procurement at state-owned companies, particularly at Energoatom, the main nuclear energy company.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the main organizer of the affair is Timur Mindich, a former associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mindich, who has collaborated with the Kvartal 95 production house, where the Ukrainian leader built his career before entering politics, did not respond to a request for comment.
The accused are said to include the former advisor to the Minister of Energy, the head of Energoatom's security and four company employees, while the former deputy prime minister was later identified as another suspect.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Minister German Galushchenko, who previously served as Minister of Energy, was the subject of investigations, but it is not known whether he is connected to the NABU investigation.
The latter announced yesterday the launch of the investigation, as Ukraine prepares for a difficult winter season with possible power outages due to Russian attacks.
Nuclear energy is key to the country's electricity supply, so the stability of Energoatom is crucial for the functioning of the Ukrainian energy system. /Telegraph/
