Justice Minister German Galushchenko allegedly took half within the scheme involving state nuclear energy agency Energoatom.
Revealed On 12 Nov 2025
Ukraine has suspended Justice Minister German Galushchenko for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal involving the state-run nuclear energy firm, Energoatom, throughout his tenure because the nation’s vitality minister.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko introduced on Wednesday that Galushchenko had been suspended from his duties, which might be carried out by Deputy Justice Minister for European Integration Lyudmyla Sugak.
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Galushchenko, who served as vitality minister for 4 years earlier than taking up the justice portfolio in July, is accused of taking advantage of a scheme that laundered cash from Energoatom.
Ukraine’s Pravda information outlet reported that anticorruption authorities raided Galushchenko’s places of work on Monday.
‘I’ll defend myself in court docket’
In an announcement, Galushchenko mentioned he had spoken with the prime minister and agreed his suspension is acceptable whereas he defends his case.
“A political choice should be made, and solely then can all the small print be sorted out,” mentioned Galushchenko. “I imagine that suspension during the investigation is a civilised and proper state of affairs. I’ll defend myself in court docket and show my place.”
In line with Ukraine’s Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Workplace (SAPO), the alleged $100m scheme was orchestrated by businessman Timur Mindich, a detailed ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
SAPO’s investigators say Galushchenko helped Mindich handle illicit monetary flows within the vitality sector, whereas contractors working with Energoatom had been pressured to pay bribes of 10 to fifteen % to keep away from dropping contracts or dealing with cost delays.
Accusations of kickbacks within the vitality sector are notably delicate in Ukraine, a lot of which is dealing with lengthy daily blackouts because it fends off huge Russian assaults on its infrastructure.
The scandal additionally highlights a possible problem to Ukraine’s European Union membership bid, for which eradicating corruption stays a key situation.
Addressing the nation on Monday, Zelenskyy urged full cooperation with the anticorruption inquiry and mentioned anybody implicated needs to be held to account.
Zelenskyy’s feedback come simply months after he was forced to reverse plans to curb the independence of the nation’s key anticorruption watchdogs – SAPO and the Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine – following widespread protests.
