Ukraine’s former Minister of Energy, German Galushchenko, has been arrested while attempting to flee the country via the border. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine confirmed this information.
According to the BBC, the former minister was dismissed last year on charges of involvement in corruption. He was apprehended while departing Ukraine by train. His intended destination remains unclear.
Reports indicate that his arrest is part of the ongoing investigation into the Midas case. He is among several government officials who were accused in November last year of embezzling $100 million.
Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office alleges that businessman Timur Mindich is the primary mastermind behind this scheme. Investigators claim that Galushchenko assisted Mindich in orchestrating illicit transactions within the energy sector. Furthermore, he allegedly coerced contractors working with state-owned enterprises into paying bribes of 10 to 15 percent to avoid contract cancellations or payment delays.
Galushchenko resigned in November last year due to these corruption allegations. This scandal amplified pressure from the United States for Ukraine to conduct elections, although elections in the country have been suspended since the start of the war in 2022, in accordance with provisions in the Ukrainian constitution.
In a statement, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) confirmed that their detectives apprehended the former energy minister while he was crossing the state border as part of the Midas case. While Galushchenko’s name was not explicitly mentioned in NABU’s statement, several prominent Ukrainian media outlets have identified him.