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