Herman Galushchenko
After being detained, the former Energy Minister was accused of money laundering and being part of a criminal network.
Herman Galushchenko tried to escape from Ukraine on a trainbut it was detained before crossing the border. The was published on Sunday by the anti-corruption office NABU.
The following day, this Monday, the Ukrainian authorities accused the former Minister of Energy of money laundering and being part of a criminal network.
The National Anti-Corruption Agency of Ukraine (NABU), responsible for the operation, confirmed the information and announced the expansion of the “circle of suspects” as part of a process investigating corruption in the energy sector.
“The former Minister of Energy was exposed for money laundering and participation in a criminal organization,” NABU announced in a statement released on social media, according to the Spanish news agency Europa Press (EP).
The formal accusation comes one day after the politician tried to cross the border to escape “Operation Midas” – the biggest corruption investigation in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasionfour years ago.
The process centers on a system of large-scale bribes which involves contracts from Energoatom, the state-owned operator of nuclear power plants. In total, the conspirators will have organized a scheme to bribe 100 million dollars (84 million euros) to withdraw funds from Ukraine’s energy sector.
Investigators revealed that approximately $7.4 million (6.2 million of euros, at the current exchange rate) were transferred to bank accounts belonging to the family of Galushchenko, according to the news agency France-Presse (AFP).
In addition to these amounts, authorities calculate that more than R$2.7 million were delivered in cash directly to the former governor’s family, in Switzerland.
Galushchenko held the Energy portfolio at the start of the war, in February 2022, and moved to the Ministry of Justice in July 2025.
The former minister in November last year, at the request of Zelenskyy, due to the progress of the investigations.
Galushchenko denied at the time any involvement in the corruption scandal and stated that he would defend himself before the courts.
Authorities suspect Timur Mindich, co-owner of the production company Kvartal 95, as the leader of the network.
Mindich, which is located in uncertain part outside Ukraineis a former partner of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who founded the production company before taking over as head of state.
A Ukraine has faced chronic corruption problemswith the fight against the scourge considered an essential condition for joining the European Union.
NABU said it was collaborating with 15 countries as part of the vast international investigation involving the former energy minister.
