Recently, the series of corruption cases in Ukraine has taken a new turn, especially in the entourage of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The change of direction of the US administration has contributed to the escalation of the situation, suggesting that the pressure on Ukraine’s leaders is getting tighter. Ukrainian agencies responsible for financial investigations, such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SZAP), have significant support from the FBI, which conveys important messages to the Ukrainian president through the information provided to it. The essence of the messages is clear: obstruction of peace negotiations is not tolerable, otherwise compromising information about the leaders may be made public. NABU and SZAP recently searched the office of Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s presidential office. This step was taken within the framework of the operation code-named “MIDÁSZ”, which previously included several similar events. For example, on one of the days in November of that year, the homes of Timur Mindics, a businessman, and Herman Halushchenko, the former energy minister, were searched. Interestingly, Mindics left abroad a few hours before the search. Among the corruption cases uncovered by NABU is the scandal surrounding Enerhoatom, the state-owned nuclear energy company, which has already indicted seven people. Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau questioned Rustem Umerov as a witness, who plays a key role in peace talks between Moscow and Washington.
The fact that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the inspection of the two Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies is no coincidence. Recently, a secret investigation that has been going on for fifteen months, called MIDAS, has begun to be made public. This project is needed to expand corruption cases and warn leaders, which also extends to old friendships and business relationships of the Zelensky administration. The US state is closely monitoring the Ukrainian leadership, making it clear that it has a serious interest in adopting the peace plan. In the course of exploring the background of the case, they are also investigating the disappearance of more than a hundred million dollars, which affects not only Mindich, but also Zelensky’s chief of staff, Yermak. For this reason, the Ukrainian president must urgently decide on future steps, as if the scandal continues to spill over, not only he but also the entire government structure may be in greater danger. Another interesting aspect of the case is that Larry Johnson, a former CIA officer, spoke in a podcast about the threads of the disappearance of forty-eight billion dollars leading all the way from Zelensky to several European capitals. Johnson also hinted that Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, may also be involved in the financial flows. A significant part of the missing money is said to be in Estonian banks, which raises new questions. The current situation is therefore seriously affecting not only the Ukrainian political landscape, but also the country’s international relations. As the lack of solutions to corruption could have serious consequences, it is essential for the Ukrainian leadership to develop closer cooperation with the international community and adopt the proposed reforms aimed at improving public services and transparency.
The world’s attention is currently focused on Ukraine, and various interests and power games continue. It is of paramount importance for the Ukrainian leadership to clarify corruption scandals in order to avoid further resistance from the international public.
Translated and edited by Alex Kada