Yermak appears on "Mindich tapes" under codename Surgeon – NABU detective Abakumov

Oleksandr Abakumov, head of a NABU detective unit, has said that former head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak appears on the "Mindich tapes" under the codename Surgeon.

Censor.NET reports that Abakumov said this in an interview with Olena Trybushna, host of the Ye Pytannia channel, published on Monday, 30 March.

The detective noted that he could not comment on whether the Midas case concerned Yermak, but said that "there are certain codenames that may be linked to this person."

"I know the person you named under the codename Surgeon... and the Office of the President as a surgical department," Abakumov said in response to the host’s question about whether Andrii Yermak appears in the Midas case.

Abakumov also said that no further publication of the "tapes" is currently planned.

Why Yermak was not served with a notice of suspicion

The detective also noted that there must be sufficient evidence to serve Mr Yermak with a notice of suspicion. He added that high-ranking officials are able to "secure the highest level of protection for themselves" — the best lawyers and legal counsel.

"They may have the financial resources to secure consultants, lawyers, and even media campaigns to manipulate certain facts. So I am convinced that in such criminal proceedings, the best possible evidentiary base must be in place. And to say, let’s serve this or that person with a notice of suspicion as quickly as possible... it seems to me that the position here should still be that we must gather all the necessary evidence in order to issue a notice of suspicion. And if the evidence is insufficient, then not to issue such a notice, because this may have very negative consequences in the future," the detective explained.

Mindichgate

In November 2025, NABU conducted searches at Mindich's residence, who left Ukraine a few hours before the searches.
On 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.
On 10 November 2025, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced a large-scale operation to expose 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. They kept a "black ledger" there, tracked money flows, and organized money laundering.
On 11 November, NABU released recordings featuring Minister Halushchenko and Mindich.
Chernyshov 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.
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, a preventive measure – detention – was imposed on Mindich in absentia. The investigation considers him the leader of a group that received and laundered money from corruption schemes in the energy sector. Mindich’s case may now be referred to Interpol for his arrest, particularly when he crosses the border.
On 15 February 2026, Herman Halushchenko was detained whilst attempting to cross the border. On 16 February, it emerged that officials from the NABU and the SAPO had informed the former official of the charges against him, and the very next day the court remanded him in custody with the possibility of bail set at 200 million hryvnias.