Monday, February 16, 2026

UKRAINE CORRUPTION: ZELENSKY ALLY ARRESTED: Kyiv’s Ex-Energy Boss Detained At Border in $100M Energy Scam

German Galushchenko
(Herman Halushchenko) is a Ukrainian lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Energy (2021–2025) and briefly as the Minister of Justice (July–November 2025). As of February 16, 2026, he is a central figure in a high-profile corruption investigation known as the "Midas" case.

Recent Legal Developments

Arrest & Detention: Galushchenko was detained on February 15, 2026, by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) while attempting to flee the country via train at the Ukrainian-Polish border.
Formal Charges: On February 16, investigators formally named him as a suspect in a major money laundering probe.
The "Midas" Case: The investigation focuses on an alleged $100 million kickback scheme involving the state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.
Allegations: Prosecutors claim Galushchenko helped launder millions in kickbacks (roughly 10–15% of contract values) through offshore accounts in Switzerland to fund elite lifestyles for his family. Galushchenko has previously denied any wrongdoing.

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Times Now World · 23 hours ago

ZELENSKY ALLY ARRESTED: Kyiv’s Ex-Energy Boss Detained At Border in $100M Energy Scam

Ukrainian ex-minister accused of money laundering in major corruption case

Dan Peleschuk

Reuters

Feb. 16, 2026, 1:42 p.m. ET

Ukraine's Minister of Energy German Galushchenko attends a panel discussion at the Future of Energy Security Summit, hosted by the International Energy Agency and UK Government at Lancaster House in London, Britain April 24, 2025.

Kyiv — Ukraine's anti-corruption police accused an ex-energy minister on Monday of helping launder kickbacks and stashing millions offshore, a day after he was detained trying to leave the country in a case that has shaken Kyiv's wartime government.

The arrest of German Galushchenko was the first major development for months in the "Midas" bribery case, which has loomed over Ukraine's domestic politics since last year by reaching into President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's inner circle.
The case has ensnared senior figures including a personal business associate of Zelenskiy and led to the resignation of Zelenskiy's powerful chief of staff and confidante.

In unveiling the accusations against Galushchenko, Ukraine's anti-corruption agency NABU said it was working with 15 foreign jurisdictions to expand its investigation.

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Mint · 5 hours ago

Ukraine’s Ex-Energy Minister Arrested In $100MN ‘Midas’ Case Amid Zelensky Election Talks

Uploaded: Feb 16, 2026

Euronews.com

11 hours ago

Ukraine's former energy minister charged with money laundering

$112M CORRUPTION! Ukraine Energy Minister Arrested In $112M Offshore Laundering Case

Uploaded: Feb 16, 2026

ECONOMIC WARFARE IN 2026 HEADLINE: Alibaba's 3% Selloff: A Blacklist Flash Crash or a Tactical Entry?.......Pentagon's 1260H List

The core question for investors is whether this creates a temporary mis-pricing.

With political tensions simmering, understanding the fundamentals behind this selloff is crucial. Historically, similar events often lead to sharp recoveries.

The move was swift and confusing: the list appeared on the US Federal Register, only for the agency to withdraw the document minutes later without explanation. The entire episode lasted less than a day.
This wasn't an isolated incident.

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Pentagon's mislabeling Chinese companies on 'Section 1260H list' reflects a lack of judgment

Nikkei Asia

2 days ago

9:09 AM · Feb 13, 2026

785
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Pentagon withdraws list after alleging Alibaba, BYD aiding Chinese military

Alibaba Leads Tech Slide After Pentagon Briefly Shows Blacklist

By Edwin Chan

February 15, 2026 at 7:14 PM MST

Takeaways by Bloomberg AI

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. led a Chinese tech-share selloff after the Pentagon added some of the country's biggest names to a list of companies aiding the military.
The list included Alibaba, BYD Co., and Baidu Inc., but was later declared "unpublished" and removed without explanation.
The designation is considered a warning to US investors and can precede more punitive trade restrictions, with the companies affected denying any involvement with the Chinese military.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. led a Chinese tech-share selloff after the Pentagon added some of the country’s biggest names to a list of companies aiding the military — only to withdraw that roster minutes later without explanation.

The Chinese AI leader’s stock slid more than 3% in Hong Kong, while BYD Co. and Baidu Inc. were down about 1%.
All three appeared on the updated Pentagon list on the US Federal Register, though it was later declared “unpublished.”
The agency also removed two of China’s leaders in memory chips, ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc. and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co.

The Pentagon’s moves come at a fraught time in Washington’s debate over China tech policy. The US has now said that three of China’s AI frontrunners — Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent Holdings Ltd. — help the Asian country’s military.

Their addition is almost certain to provoke Beijing.
The designation of BYD, meanwhile, targets the country’s top electric-vehicle company.

While the list carries few immediate legal repercussions, the Pentagon is increasingly using it to restrict companies’ abilities to contract with the military or get research funding. A so-called 1260H designation also serves as a warning to US investors, and is widely considered a red flag that can precede more punitive trade restrictions.

REPUTATIONAL RISK

Alibaba said in a statement it’s “not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy. We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company.”

A Baidu spokesperson said in a statement “we categorically reject the inclusion,” which has “no credible basis.” The “suggestion that Baidu is a military company is entirely baseless and no evidence has been produced that would prove otherwise.”

Shenzhen-based BYD didn’t respond to a request for comment sent outside of normal business hours.

The 1260H list, first published in 2021, now includes more than 130 entities accused of working with the Chinese military. The names include those of airlines and computer hardware manufacturers, as well as firms in construction, shipping and communications.

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Breaking: The Pentagon Posted This — Then Deleted It