No NACP audit could have exposed Energoatom corruption scheme due to its scale – Pavlushchyk

NACP audit of Energoatom could not uncover "barrier (shlagbaum)" scheme

In January 2025, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) carried out an inspection of Energoatom, the national nuclear energy generating company, which figures in a corruption case linked to Timur Mindich and large-scale abuses in the energy sector. However, the inspection focused primarily on anti-corruption safeguards, corruption risks and the need for changes, rather than on the company’s spending or procurement, as those are overseen by other state bodies.

As reported by Censor.NET, NACP head Viktor Pavlushchyk spoke about this in an interview with Inna Vedernikova for ZN.UA.

NACP inspection: focus on risks rather than Energoatom’s procurement

"Based on the results, we issued recommendations and binding orders to eliminate the causes and conditions we identified during the inspection. These include recommendations to appoint an anti-corruption officer, ensure the development and amendment of the anti-corruption programme, tighten liability for corruption and/or corruption-related offences, improve corruption risk management, and ensure that the conclusions of compliance officers have a real impact on decisions to conclude contracts, among other things," the head of the Agency said.

Although the inspection was scheduled, Pavlushchyk insists that it did take into account media reports about possible corruption schemes in the company, as well as appeals from the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigative Commission (TIC) on alleged violations of Ukrainian law in public procurement during martial law.

Causes of the "barrier (shlagbaum)" scheme lie in the sphere of public procurement

At the same time, the NACP head added that no inspection could have uncovered a scheme like "barrier", since its essence does not lie in the operation of the energy company itself but is much broader.

"At this stage, the key factors behind the scheme uncovered by NABU lie in the area of public procurement which, even globally, is one of the sectors and areas of corporate governance most vulnerable to corruption," he said.

The Agency head said that in the draft of the next anti-corruption strategy, NACP is trying to carve out sections dedicated specifically to systemic problems in procurement and the energy sector and will propose a number of corporate governance initiatives.

"We also expect, and strongly count on, additional information from NABU so that we can factor it into the next strategy," Pavlushchyk said.

He noted that there is no universal pill against corruption in any country, and that the focus should be less on punishment and more on changing mindsets and building proper procedures that make corruption impossible, in order above all to reduce the risks.

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.
On 1 December, the High Anti-Corruption Court ordered that Timur Mindich, co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio, be held in pre-trial detention as a measure of restraint.