Former Ukrainian energy minister under investigation for money laundering

“The former energy minister of Ukraine for the period 2021-2025 was found to have committed money laundering and participated in a criminal organization,” the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said in a statement today.

NABU did not name specifically, but Mr. Herman Galushchenko is the person who holds the position of Minister of Energy of Ukraine from 2021 to 2025. According to the Ukrainian penal code, people who commit the above crimes can face a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

The announcement came a day after Mr. Galushchenko was arrested while trying to leave the country. This is the latest development in the energy sector corruption scandal that rocked the Ukrainian government last year.

In November 2025, Galushchenko was accused of participating in a ring that received $100 million in bribes from contractors building projects to protect energy infrastructure against attacks from Russian forces. Investigators said they found about $12 million in bank accounts related to his family.

Former minister Galushchenko once announced that he would “defend himself in court” while being suspended from his position. He is one of many senior Ukrainian officials to resign after the corruption scandal broke out. Investigators allege this ring also involves a close ally of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Zelensky won the 2019 election with a promise to eliminate corruption among the political elite. His government has passed a number of reforms, but also faces many serious corruption scandals, including violations in the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

The European Union is urging Ukraine to implement sweeping reforms to eliminate corruption, considering this one of the requirements for the country to join the bloc.