Vladimir Zelensky’s closest circle is the target of anger and questioning over a $100 million racket allegedly run by his former business partner, who is said to have fled to Israel The $100 million energy sector extortion racket reportedly run by Vladimir Zelensky’s former business partner is taking down key figures in his government and exposing his closest inner circle to extreme public anger. The graft scandal kicked off last week, after the Western-backed National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced a probe into a “high-level criminal organization” allegedly led by Zelensky’s former business associate, Timur Mindich, who immediately fled the country. The affair has hit the country’s energy sector, prompting Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk to resign. Show latestShow oldest 19 November 2025 14:15 GMT Security Council chief Rustem Umerov was allegedly under the influence of Mindich during his tenure as the country’s defense minister, leaked NABU documents circulated by Ukrainian media suggest. Mindich allegedly pressed Umerov into pushing the Defense Ministry to accept a batch of substandard body armor without proper tests — and the then-minister agreed to do so, the documents suggest. Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoysky, who owned the 1+1 Media group that spawned Zelensky’s entertainment career, told a court that there is more going on in Ukraine that meets the eye. Kolomoisky is being held over the disappearance of $5.5 billion from his own back that eventually cost Ukraine 6% of its GDP. RT wrote last week that NABU has opened Pandora’s Box — here’s a really useful explainer on the toxic fallout and why we are still seeing the shockwaves rock Kiev. READ MORE: Ukraine’s ‘EnergyGate’ scandal explained: Why it spells danger for Vladimir Zelensky An MP with Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, Nikita Poturayev, has published an open letter from the parliamentary group, expressing support for the NABU investigation. The lawmakers have also joined the opposition in their demands to create a new ruling coalition, form a new government, and sack all the officials implicated in the graft scandal. Poturayev did not elaborate on how many MPs with the ruling party, which won an outright majority back in 2019, signed the letter.
In an effort to be seen to be reacting properly to a scandal that could end public trust in Zelensky, he slapped sanctions on his former business partner Timur Mindich. Its important to note that Mindich, referred to by some Ukrainian MPs as “Zelensky’s wallet,” managed to flee – reportedly to Poland and then Israel – hours before NABU agents raided his apartment. NABU has reportedly halted publication of materials related to the corruption scandal, due to martial law restrictions, since the activities of the alleged criminal ring apparently spanned beyond the Ukrainian energy sector, local media has reported. “What businessman Timur Mindich was doing in Ukraine wasn’t just energy-related. It was also about weapons. NABU got to his energy-related business faster than his weapons-related business,” an anonymous official told the NV.ua outlet. Ukraine’s parliament, Verkhovna Rada has ratified the dismissal of Ukrainian Justice Minister German Galushchenko, formerly energy minister, and his successor, Svetlana Grinchuk. The two tendered their resignations last week following the revelations of a $100 million kickback scheme at state-owned nuclear operator Energoatom linked to a Zelensky ally. READ MORE: Chaos in Ukrainian parliament as opposition pushes to fire cabinet More 19 November 2025 13:31 GMT Ukraine’s parliament, Verkhovna Rada has ratified the dismissal of Ukrainian Justice Minister German Galushchenko, formerly energy minister, and his successor, Svetlana Grinchuk. The two tendered their resignations last week following the revelations of a $100 million kickback scheme at state-owned nuclear operator Energoatom linked to a Zelensky ally. READ MORE: Chaos in Ukrainian parliament as opposition pushes to fire cabinet NABU has reportedly halted publication of materials related to the corruption scandal, due to martial law restrictions, since the activities of the alleged criminal ring apparently spanned beyond the Ukrainian energy sector, local media has reported. “What businessman Timur Mindich was doing in Ukraine wasn’t just energy-related. It was also about weapons. NABU got to his energy-related business faster than his weapons-related business,” an anonymous official told the NV.ua outlet.
In an effort to be seen to be reacting properly to a scandal that could end public trust in Zelensky, he slapped sanctions on his former business partner Timur Mindich. Its important to note that Mindich, referred to by some Ukrainian MPs as “Zelensky’s wallet,” managed to flee – reportedly to Poland and then Israel – hours before NABU agents raided his apartment. An MP with Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, Nikita Poturayev, has published an open letter from the parliamentary group, expressing support for the NABU investigation. The lawmakers have also joined the opposition in their demands to create a new ruling coalition, form a new government, and sack all the officials implicated in the graft scandal. Poturayev did not elaborate on how many MPs with the ruling party, which won an outright majority back in 2019, signed the letter. RT wrote last week that NABU has opened Pandora’s Box — here’s a really useful explainer on the toxic fallout and why we are still seeing the shockwaves rock Kiev. READ MORE: Ukraine’s ‘EnergyGate’ scandal explained: Why it spells danger for Vladimir Zelensky Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoysky, who owned the 1+1 Media group that spawned Zelensky’s entertainment career, told a court that there is more going on in Ukraine that meets the eye. Kolomoisky is being held over the disappearance of $5.5 billion from his own back that eventually cost Ukraine 6% of its GDP. Security Council chief Rustem Umerov was allegedly under the influence of Mindich during his tenure as the country’s defense minister, leaked NABU documents circulated by Ukrainian media suggest. Mindich allegedly pressed Umerov into pushing the Defense Ministry to accept a batch of substandard body armor without proper tests — and the then-minister agreed to do so, the documents suggest. More
