Ukraine is currently reeling from its most severe internal crisis since the start of the 2022 invasion. A massive corruption scandal that has reportedly left President Volodymyr Zelensky “floored” by the scale of the charges. The investigation, a “Herculean feat” by the country’s anti-corruption bodies, uncovered a sophisticated scheme to embezzle at least $100 million from Energoatom. This is the state nuclear company and the scheme was through 10-15% kickbacks on contracts.
The audacity and specific details of the crime are stunning. Detectives found a golden toilet bowl in the apartment of Timur Mindich (“Carlson”), a close presidential associate who fled hours before his arrest. Furthermore, stolen funds were allegedly earmarked for four luxury villas near Kyiv for former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov (“Che Guevara”) and other officials. The cynicism of the accused, including one who suggested it would be a “waste of money” to protect key electrical substations that were later targeted by Russian missiles, has deeply outraged a nation sacrificing for the war effort. Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko (“Professor”) and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrinchuk are among the officials facing dismissal votes as the crisis deepens.
A test of democratic resilience
The 15-month probe by NABU and SAPO overcame significant internal resistance, including active obstruction and threats against their detectives. Crucially, the president’s office was accused of attempting to sabotage the investigation in July by detaining detectives and pushing a hasty bill to strip the anti-corruption agencies of their independence. A move only reversed after massive public outcry.
While the scheme’s roots may predate Zelensky’s 2019 presidency, the proximity of his inner circle has created a “blow of atomic-bomb proportions,”. Threatening Ukraine on two critical fronts. Eroding essential domestic faith and increasing the likelihood that foreign allies will cut the vital $100 billion per year in aid the nation needs to survive. The political fallout is significant, with calls for a broad “reset” of the government, including pressure on Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak.
With only five arrests so far and the probe now set to turn its focus to the country’s “massive defence sector” for the next year, the president faces an agonizing “day of reckoning.” This scandal is less a sign of inevitable failure and more a crucial test of whether Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption institutions can truly survive, purge the deep-seated rot, and thus secure both the state and its international support.
Reference
AP. (2025, November 17). A huge corruption scandal threatens Ukraine’s government. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/11/17/a-huge-corruption-scandal-threatens-ukraines-government