Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pledged reforms in the state-owned energy sector following a corruption scandal involving nearly $100 million. The scandal has provoked outrage amid ongoing Russian attacks that have crippled Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
Zelenskyy announced on X that alongside comprehensive audits, the management of key energy firms would be replaced. A new supervisory board is to be installed at Energoatom, the nuclear company central to the scandal, within a week.
Investigations by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) implicated senior officials, including Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, as well as businessman Timur Mindich, co-owner of Zelenskyy’s former TV studio.
The scandal unfolds as Russian forces intensify strikes on energy infrastructure, worsening power shortages. Zelenskyy has called for reforms at Ukrhydroenergo and Naftogaz, along with leadership changes to ensure transparency and stability.
Two ministers resigned over their involvement, and sanctions were imposed on a former Zelenskyy associate. The episode has raised fresh doubts about Zelenskyy’s anti-corruption commitments, especially after his controversial July law limiting independence of NABU and SAPO—which he later reversed following pressure from European allies.
Zelenskyy reaffirmed, “The full transparency and integrity in the energy sector remain an absolute priority,” urging ongoing cooperation between government and law enforcement to root out corruption.