Ukraine's energy and justice ministers have resigned in the wake of a major investigation into corruption in the country's energy sector.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko's removal on Wednesday.
On Monday anti-corruption bodies accused several people of orchestrating an embezzlement scheme in the energy sector worth about $100 million (£76 million), including at the national nuclear operator Enerhoatom.
Those implicated in the scandal include close associates of Zelensky's.
The allegations suggest that Halushchenko and other key ministers received payments from contractors involved in building fortifications against ongoing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Among those alleged to be involved is former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and Timur Mindich, a businessman linked to Zelensky's former TV studio Kvartal95, who reportedly fled the country.
Halushchenko issued a statement asserting he would defend himself against the accusations, while Grynchuk claimed there were no violations of the law in her professional conduct.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) have revealed that their investigation, lasting 15 months and involving 1,000 hours of audio recordings, uncovered the participation of several government members.
According to NABU, the involved parties systematically collected kickbacks from Enerhoatom contractors, ranging from 10% to 15% of contract values.
The investigation also indicated that significant sums had been laundered, with photographs of cash bags revealed. These funds were reportedly transferred abroad, including to Russia.
Crucially, the Prosecutors alleged that the proceeds were laundered through a Kyiv office connected to the family of former Ukrainian lawmaker and current Russian senator Andriy Derkach.
NABU has been continuously releasing new snippets of its findings and wiretaps. The investigation unfolds amidst an intense context of Russian assaults targeting Ukrainian energy systems.
This scandal could severely undermine Zelensky's commitment to anti-corruption and shine a sharp light on the endemic corruption issues still plaguing Ukraine despite past efforts by NABU and SAP.
The public and European partners are alarmed by the implications of this corruption investigation, especially as Ukrainian authorities work to maintain candidate status for EU membership based on anti-corruption efforts. This latest crisis raises pressing questions regarding Zelensky's approach to governance and reforms.
