Zelenskyy’s approval rating plunged 40% after "Mindichgate" and is now below 20%, Zhelezniak says. VIDEO

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s approval rating has dropped significantly following a major corruption scandal in the energy sector involving his inner circle.

This was reported by Yaroslav Zhelezniak, an MP from Holos, on his YouTube channel, citing data from three closed sociological studies, Censor.NET informs.

Zelenskyy’s approval rating has plunged

"The president has long not been in first place — Zaluzhnyi is there, then comes Zelenskyy, and Budanov is also on the list. In two surveys I saw, Zelenskyy’s rating is below 20%. The president’s approval rating has plunged by 40% this week. Secondly, the share of ‘other candidate’ or ‘undecided’ has grown," the MP said.

Anti-rating has grown

In addition, according to the results of the closed sociological studies, for the first time, Zelenskyy’s disapproval rating has surpassed the level of trust in him.

"This is the first time. Even after the ‘cardboard’ protests, this did not happen. And this disapproval rating is quite high," the MP said.

Also, according to Zhelezniak, in surveys, Ukrainians name Zelenskyy as the main person responsible for corruption in the energy sector, followed by the "president’s friends".

"Mindichgate" closed the path to a second term

Summing up, Zhelezniak said that the main consequence of "Mindichgate" is that this scandal closes the path for Zelenskyy to a second presidential term.

"Moreover, I believe that more and more facts will lead to the rating dropping heavily, to below 10%," the MP said.

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 NNEGC "Energoatom" in connection with a corruption case.
The NABU is also conducting searches at the home of former Energy Minister Halushchenko and at "Energoatom".
The NABU and the SAPO announced a large-scale operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
Current Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk appears on recordings obtained by NABU as part of its investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Later, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau uncovered an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP and current Russian senator Andrii Derkach, where a "black ledger" was kept, cash was tracked, and money-laundering operations were organized.
On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
Chernyshova has been served with a notice of suspicion of illicit enrichment under Operation "Midas."
One of the suspects, Dmytro Basov, was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 40 million.
Halushchenko's former adviser Myroniuk was remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 126 million.
The Cabinet of Ministers has submitted proposals to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose personal sanctions against Tymur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman following an NABU investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
Earlier, Ihor Myroniuk and Energoatom’s executive director for security, Dmytro Basov, featured on the NABU tapes under the alias "Tenor", were remanded in custody for 60 days.
Another suspect, Lesia Ustymenko, was also placed in pre-trial detention for 60 days.
The High Anti-Corruption Court has ruled on a preventive measure for Ihor Fursenko, a suspect in an energy-sector corruption case (known on the NABU tapes as "Roshyk").
On 13 November, the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested Liudmyla Zorina, with bail set at 12 million hryvnia.
Zelenskyy imposed sanctions against Mindich and Tsukerman.