Former Ukrainian deputy prime minister Oleksiy Czernyshev has been arrested amid the country’s biggest corruption scandal, with investigators alleging that high‑ranking officials linked to President Zelensky siphoned off over 100 million dollars.
Former Deputy Premier Arrested
Former Ukrainian deputy prime minister Oleksiy Czernyshev was taken from the courtroom by authorities with a 60‑day detention sentence, backed by a 51‑million‑hryvnia bail offer. Prosecutors said he and a trusted associate were seized with more than 1 million dollars and almost 100 thousand euros in cash, alleging they benefited from a scheme tied to state‑owned Energoatom.
Scheme Behind the Scandal
Investigators claim the plot involved siphoning roughly one‑tenth of the value of contracts awarded to firms working with Energoatom, generating at least 100 million dollars in illegal profits. The scheme also implicated Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of President Zelensky, who reportedly fled Ukraine after the allegations.
Scale of the Corruption
Analysts warn that the Energoatom affair damages not only the image of the authorities but also undermines public trust amid Ukraine’s ongoing existential war. The Center for Anti‑Corruption head Vítalij Szabunin has stressed that the term “big scandal” does not capture the full extent of the problem.
Expert Opinion
Władysław Jacenko, writing for Gazeta.pl, notes that Ukrainian experts see the consequences of the scandal as potentially far worse than initially presumed, calling out President Zelensky’s apparent lack of action on corruption and questioning whether the president is simply corrupt or severely incompetent.