A close associate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been implicated in a $100 million corruption scandal centered around the state-owned nuclear power company Energoatom, which has dominated news headlines in the country since Monday, November 10, 2025.
On November 13, 2025, President Zelenskyy signed a decree imposing sanctions against his close associate Timur Mindich and businessman Oleksandr Tsukerman in response to the corruption allegations.
Both individuals have reportedly fled the country after being tipped off about impending charges related to the Energoatom scandal.
Close Associate of Zelenskyy Implicated in $100 Million Scandal
According to the decree, Mindich and Tsukerman are Israeli citizens. The sanctions, previously approved by the National Security and Defense Council, will remain in effect for a period of three years.
On November 12, 2025, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that the government had initiated the sanctions process.
“At an extraordinary meeting, the cabinet submitted proposals for consideration by the National Security and Defense Council on the application of personal sanctions against Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman,” stated Svyrydenko.
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So far, eight individuals have been charged with bribery, abuse of office, and illicit enrichment by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), which announced the charges on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
Other Individuals Implicated in the Corruption Scandal
The anti-corruption agency published evidence, including audio recordings where those implicated used code names and encrypted language to discuss alleged kickbacks and bribes related to business dealings with Energoatom.
According to the bureau, Mindich has been identified as the main organizer of the corruption scheme and is a co-owner of President Zelenskyy’s Kvartal 95 production company, whereas businessman Tsukerman reportedly led the back office involved in money laundering, which facilitated the laundering of approximately $100 million.
In addition to Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman, several other individuals have also been charged in connection with the Energoatom corruption case. These include:
– Ihor Myroniuk, a former adviser to the energy minister.
– Dmytro Basov, the executive director for security at Energoatom.
– Ihor Fursenko, a private entrepreneur involved in IT consultancy.
– Lesia Ustymenko, a private entrepreneur engaged in market research and polling.
– Ludmila Zorina, a private entrepreneur providing consulting services on commercial activities.
Additionally, a former deputy prime minister, referred to by the codename “Che Guevara” in the audio recordings, has been named as another suspect in the investigation.
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