Zelensky Ally Accused of Running $100M Corruption Ring
A close associate of Volodymyr Zelensky has been identified as the alleged architect of a “high-level criminal organization,” according to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), which uncovered a sweeping corruption scheme after raiding 70 businessmen and energy-sector figures.
Investigators say roughly $100 million was siphoned from Ukraine’s embattled energy sector, with businessman Timur Mindich—who co-owns Kvartal 95, the media company Zelensky helped found—acting as the mastermind. NABU alleges Mindich’s network collected 10–15% bribes from contractors working with state-owned energy firms, including nuclear operator Energoatom, in exchange for protecting their contracts and shielding them from bureaucratic obstacles.
Justice Minister German Galushchenko has been suspended, while Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk resigned, reportedly at Zelensky’s urging; both deny wrongdoing. Initial reports suggest Zelensky sought to downplay Mindich’s involvement, but as the scandal widened, he publicly backed NABU’s investigation and vowed sanctions against his former business partner.
“Everyone who created schemes must receive a clear procedural response,” Zelensky said. “There must be verdicts, and government officials must cooperate with NABU and law enforcement.”
Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko noted that every Ukrainian president struggles with problematic inner circles, and Zelensky’s reliance on longtime friends and associates—many brought into politics during his 2019 outsider campaign—has now “punished him,” especially in the Mindich affair. Mindich fled to Israel, where he holds citizenship, before charges could be brought.
While investigators have not accused Zelensky of participating in the scheme, Mindich’s proximity to the president has intensified public unease and raised questions about Zelensky’s judgment. Lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko warned the scandal could erode domestic unity and give foreign opponents ammunition to undermine Western support for Ukraine. “While Russians destroy our power grid and people endure blackouts, someone at the top was stealing money during the war,” he said.
The revelations come as Zelensky faces additional political pressure, including unrest over the military’s potential withdrawal from Pokrovsk and his failed attempt to curb the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies earlier this year—institutions now leading the charge against his former ally.
With new details emerging daily, the scandal threatens to damage Zelensky’s image as a wartime reformer. How he navigates the crisis may determine whether it stabilizes his presidency or accelerates calls for political change.
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