Ukraine’s justice and energy ministers have submitted resignations after investigators uncovered an alleged $100 million kick-back scheme tied to the state nuclear company, raising major questions about accountability during wartime.
Kyiv, Ukraine — Two senior ministers in Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government submitted their resignations on Wednesday amid a sweeping corruption investigation into the country’s energy sector. The scheme reportedly involved roughly $100 million in illicit payments tied to the state-owned nuclear power enterprise.
Key Details
- The ministers who stepped down are Herman Halushchenko (Justice Minister) and Svitlana Grynchuk (Energy Minister).
- The investigation, led by independent anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine, uncovered that contractors of the state nuclear company were forced to pay kick-backs of between 10 % and 15 % of contract value to avoid losing supplier status or having payments blocked.
- One of the accused is a businessman and former close associate of President Zelenskyy, highlighting potential political fallout and concerns for Ukraine’s credibility with international partners.
- The energy sector is already under enormous strain amid ongoing war and repeated Russian attacks on infrastructure; the scandal intensifies worries about corruption undermining resilience and public trust.
Implications & Outlook
The resignations signal a formidable reputational blow to the Ukrainian leadership. While President Zelenskyy pledged support for the investigation and said schemes of this nature are “absolutely unacceptable,” critics say the scandal could erode donor confidence and fuel internal dissent during a critical phase of the war effort.
Going forward, the government faces pressure to:
- Conduct a full audit of the state nuclear enterprise and similar strategic companies.
- Appoint transparent, independent supervisory boards for energy-sector firms.
- Strengthen anti-corruption enforcement even while waging war and relying on international aid.
- Restore public trust by holding accountable not only mid-level actors but senior officials who enabled or tolerated such schemes.
With the investigation still unfolding, the wider challenge for Ukraine will be ensuring that wartime urgency does not undermine long-term governance reforms and partner confidence.
