Ukraine discusses corruption scandal in energy sector with US Congress, - Stefanishyna
Ukraine is maintaining contact with the US Congress regarding the latest corruption scandal in the energy sector in order to prevent any impact on international support for the country.
According to Censor.NET, citing European Truth, this was stated in an interview with NBC News by Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna.
The host asked Stefanishyna about the "scandal involving President Zelenskyy's administration," noting that Ukrainian issues could be used by US lawmakers as an argument against further aid to the country.
"We are, of course, in contact with a wide range of members of the House and Senate. We have provided the latest updates," she said.
Stefanyishyna clarified that the investigation involves two members of the government, but they do not report directly to the president.
She also emphasized that Zelenskyy responded promptly to the scandal in the administration. In particular, in less than a day, the president suspended the officials, and parliament will consider their dismissal next week. Sanctions have been imposed on the other figures involved in the case.
"We believe it is important that Ukraine has an effective institutional system in place and that there is no room for impunity. This is an unpleasant situation, but it is unprecedented in Ukraine's history. It means that the anti-corruption mechanisms we have put in place are really working," the ambassador concluded.
Mindichgate
- Earlier, Censor.NET reported that NABU was conducting searches at Mindich's residence, who left Ukraine a few hours before the searches.
- As reported, on Tuesday, 4 November, searches were conducted in one of the branches of the separate divisions of NAEK Energoatom in connection with a corruption case.
- NABU is also conducting searches at the home of former Energy Minister Halushchenko and at Energoatom.
- NABU and SAPO announced a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
- The current Minister of Energy, Svitlana Hrynychuk, appears in NABU recordings as part of the investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
- Subsequently, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau exposed an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP and current Russian Senator Andriy Derkach. There, they kept "black accounts," recorded money, and organised money laundering.
- On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
- Chernyshov has been notified of suspicion of illegal enrichment as part of Operation Midas.
- One of the suspects, Dmytro Basov, was remanded in custody with bail set at 40 million hryvnia.
- Galushchenko's former adviser Myroniuk was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 126 million.
- The Cabinet of Ministers submitted proposals to the National Security and Defence Council to impose personal sanctions on Tymur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman following a NABU investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
- Earlier, Ihor Myronyuk and the executive director of security at Energoatom, Dmytro Basov, who appeared in NABU's videos under the nickname Tenor, were remanded in custody for 60 days.
- Another suspect, Lesya Ustymenko, was also remanded in custody for 60 days.
- The High Anti-Corruption Court chose a preventive measure for Ihor Fursenko (known as Ryoshik in NABU recordings), a suspect in a case of corruption in the energy sector.
- On 13 November, the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested Lyudmila Zorin, with bail set at 12 million hryvnia.
- Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against Mindich and Zuckerman.
