The head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, stated that certain political forces are trying to use the corruption investigation in the energy sector to discredit the Ukrainian government. He said this in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which includes Politico.
Source: PRYAMYI
Yermak emphasized that political manipulation around the fight against corruption “can affect anyone,” but assessments must be based solely on court decisions, not assumptions:
“Before judging people, judicial proceedings and investigations must be carried out.”
He also stated that President Volodymyr Zelensky is “principled and not corrupt,” and it was his initiatives that launched a large-scale anti-corruption reform that granted full independence to law enforcement agencies.
According to Yermak, the work of anti-corruption agencies is evident from the fact that they initiate cases regardless of political names.
🕵️♂️ Operation ‘Midas’: who was exposed
On November 10, NABU and SAPO announced Operation “Midas,” within which an organized group was exposed that had been influencing key state energy enterprises for years, including Energoatom.
Investigators report:
- systematic kickbacks of 10–15% from contracts,
- pressure on contractors,
- manual control over personnel and financial decisions of companies.
Among the identified figures:
- NCRECP member Serhiy Pushkar,
- businessman Tymur Mindich,
- former Energoatom top manager Dmytro Basov,
- former deputy head of the State Property Fund and adviser to the energy minister Ihor Myroniuk.
Energoatom confirmed that searches took place.
✈️ Mindich’s escape and Zelensky’s reaction
Tymur Mindich left Ukraine a few hours before the searches began. The Border Guard Service explained that he left legally — there were no restrictions on crossing the border at that time.
On November 13, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he had not been in contact with Mindich since the investigation began.
Yermak assured that anti-corruption bodies will act to the end and that attempts to use the case politically are part of broader informational pressure on the Ukrainian government.