Zelensky’s government is said to have “systematically sabotaged” the fight against corruption

The core accusation: Kiev is said to have hindered the work of the supervisory bodies of state-owned companies so that they could not fulfill their task of fighting corruption.

According to the NYT, Zelensky’s government has overseen “systematically sabotaged and thus allowing corruption to flourish“. The method: The government filled the supervisory boards with followers, leaving seats vacant or delaying their appointment in order to maintain control. Even corporate charters are said to have been changed to suit the government’s interests. As a result, hundreds of millions of dollars were allegedly spent without external control.

An example: lack of supervision at the state-owned nuclear company

The NYT text describes several examples of lack of control of state-owned companies. One revolves around the nuclear company Energoatom at the center of the current scandal. Herman Halushchenko, who was Ukraine’s energy minister from 2021 to 2025, pushed ahead with an expensive project at Energoatom: the purchase and recommissioning of two old Russian nuclear reactors from Bulgaria.

Western donors and anti-corruption bodies criticized the project as a potential waste of money at a state-owned company known for corruption. The project coincided with the planned establishment of Energoatom’s first supervisory board. But the Ukrainian government delayed its establishment; The reason is said to have been disputes over salary and insurance.

According to NYT, the reactor deal is on hold and is not part of the corruption investigation. But the lack of supervision was apparently still fatal. It was precisely at this time that Ukrainian officials set up a $100 million bribery system at the company, anti-corruption investigators say.

When the supervisory board was appointed at the beginning of 2025, one seat remained empty, so that power on the board was evenly divided between two foreign experts and two Ukrainian representatives. This split “left Energoatom largely powerless to prevent corruption,” writes the NYT. The company’s top management is said not to have been replaced. One of the managers was ultimately suspended in November 2025 amid investigations into bribe payments.

An adviser to Zelensky told the NYT that the supervisory bodies were not the president’s responsibility. Fighting corruption is one of the most important goals for Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia, on its way to NATO and the EU.