Russia Alludes To Ukraine's Mega Corruption Scandal In Zelenskyy Circle
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov alluded to the mega corruption case of the energy sector bribery in Ukraine. The European Union and the US called the Kremlin must have highlighted the corruption scandal in Ukraine involving the inner circle member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"(Kremlin) of course (paying attention to it). We are sure that the capital cities of Europe and the United States have also paid attention to it," he said.
"Especially, these countries are very active as Kyiv regime donors," Peskov said as quoted by TASS, Wednesday, November 12.
Previously, the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported that a group suspected of corruption led by Eastern Mindich entrepreneurs was likely to operate not only in the energy sector but also in the defense industry. A prosecutor from the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) stated Mindich had interfered with the defense sector by "instructing" the then Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov.
On November 10, NABU and SAP announced an investigation into a massive corruption scheme in the energy sector. The search was carried out at the company Energoatom and the residences of Timur Mindich and German Galushchenko, former energy minister and current justice minister.
NABU also released a recording of a conversation from the Mindich apartment, which revealed discussions about corrupt practices.
The agency reported four ministers, both those who are still in office and those who have retired, were involved in the activities of the criminal group, with Galushchenko being called by Ukrainian media as one of them.
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On the evening of November 11, NABU also filed charges of embezzlement against the former deputy prime minister. Local media identified him as Alexey Chernyshov, another member of Zelensky's inner circle who previously served as deputy prime minister and minister of national unity.
On Wednesday morning, Ukraine's cabinet temporarily suspended Justice Minister Galushchenko.