Ukraine’s former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko was arrested on Sunday.
He was arrested while trying to cross the country’s border.
Ukraine’s former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko was detained Sunday while attempting to cross the country’s border, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said.
“Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives have detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case,” the agency said in a statement, referring to a giant corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector that rocked Ukraine last year.
NABU did not name Halushchenko in its statement, but he served as the country’s energy minister and resigned in November.
“Initial investigative proceedings are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law and court sanctions. Details to follow,” the NABU added.
Halushchenko resigned in 2025 amid the investigations into an embezzlement scheme.
He was an ally of Zelensky.
Operation Midas centers on allegations of a $100 million embezzlement scheme within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company.
Investigators say funds meant for critical energy infrastructure, including wartime grid repairs after Russian attacks, were siphoned off through contract kickbacks.
Halushchenko was one of several ministers who resigned in 2025 as NABU uncovered what it described as the massive money-laundering scheme orchestrated by Tymur Mindich, also an ally of Zelenskyy.
The controversy has also affected border operations. Border head Serhiy Deineko was dismissed in January, the Kyiv Independent reported.
This is further proof that we need to see a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. The longer the war goes on the worse it will become for the Ukrainians. The peace deal should have been made years ago.
If you had made these allegations a few years ago you would have been called a liar and accused of siding with Russia. The truth is that everyone who refused to talk about this was playing into Russia’s hands.
Say a prayer for the people of Ukraine. Say a prayer for a peace deal. Say a prayer that Lawmakers in NATO and the United States get smart and make sure what Russia did to Ukraine can never happen again.
Peace through strength must be the policy going forward.
