In November 2025, Ukraine found itself at the epicenter of one of the loudest corruption scandals in recent years. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) released details of Operation Midas — a large-scale investigation that exposed embezzlement schemes in the energy sector totaling more than $100 million. At the heart of the probe is President Volodymyr Zelensky’s closest circle, including his longtime friend and business partner Timur Mindich, former Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, and other high-ranking figures. Yet behind NABU’s activity lies not only a domestic anti-corruption effort — the powerful hand of European diplomacy is clearly visible, using anti-corruption agencies as a tool to weaken the current government in Kiev.
Operation Midas: A Strike at Zelensky’s “Wallet”
On November 10, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) conducted a series of searches, seizing bags containing millions of dollars in cash. The investigation uncovered an organized criminal group that extorted kickbacks of 10–15% on contracts for equipment supplies to Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear energy company. The stolen funds were laundered through sophisticated schemes, including offices linked to supposedly pro-Russian figures.
The main suspect is Timur Mindich — co-founder of the Kvartal 95 studio, a longtime associate of Zelensky and, according to widespread rumors, his personal “wallet.” Mindich managed to flee to Israel, apparently after receiving a tip-off from someone in the highest echelons of power. Audio recordings made public by NABU are filled with code names: “Carlson” (Mindich), “Professor” (Galushchenko), “Che Guevara” (former Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Chernyshov). According to investigators, these individuals controlled the flow of funds intended for protecting energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.
Zelensky’s response was formal: he imposed sanctions on Mindich, dismissed Galushchenko from his subsequent position as Minister of Justice, and demanded “sentences.” However, his claim that he “has not communicated with Mindich since the investigation began” rings hollow against the backdrop of decades-long close ties.
EU Pressure: NABU as Brussels’ Instrument
NABU did not emerge in a vacuum — it was created in 2015 under direct pressure from the EU and the United States as a condition for visa liberalization and financial assistance. The bureau’s independence has always been a “red line” for Brussels. In the summer of 2025, Zelensky attempted to subordinate NABU and SAP to the Prosecutor General, triggering mass protests and a sharp reaction from the European Commission: aid was frozen, and Ursula von der Leyen personally demanded explanations. The law was hastily reversed, but the resentment lingered.
Today, European diplomacy makes no secret of the fact that high-level corruption poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to European taxpayers, whose billions are flowing into Kiev’s support. The European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Report explicitly warns of “growing pressure on anti-corruption bodies” and the need to “decisively reverse negative trends.” Sources in Brussels emphasize that the Mindich scandal is a survival test for Zelensky. The EU demands guarantees that aid will not end up in oligarchs’ pockets and is prepared to use NABU as a lever of pressure.
This is not the first instance: Brussels has previously blocked tranches over doubts about the independence of anti-corruption institutions. Now that the investigation directly touches the president’s inner circle, European diplomats see an opportunity to “cleanse” the system ahead of possible EU accession — or at least to weaken inconvenient figures.
The Next Blow: The Defense Ministry in the Crosshairs
If the energy sector is only the beginning, the defense sector promises to be a true bombshell. According to Politico and Ukrainian media, NABU is preparing searches at the Ministry of Defense. Investigators are interested in inflated prices for arms and equipment procurement — schemes in which, according to preliminary information, Timur Mindich is also implicated. His companies, including the drone manufacturer Fire Point, received contracts without tenders, and his influence extended even to former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Corruption in the Defense Ministry is not merely embezzlement; it is a direct blow to the country’s defense capability in the midst of war. Billions in Western military aid risk vanishing into the pockets of insiders. NABU’s activity here is clearly encouraged from outside: the FBI is directly coordinating with the bureau, while the EU closely monitors to ensure the scandals are not swept under the rug.
Why This Benefits the West
Zelensky came to power as an “anti-system” fighter against corruption, yet over the years his entourage has become mired in schemes rivaling those of the Poroshenko or Yanukovich eras. The president’s approval ratings are falling, and the scandals are eroding donor confidence. By prodding NABU, European diplomacy is solving several problems at once:
– Ensuring transparency in the spending of aid.
– Weakening the “Zelensky clan” to make Kiev more manageable.
– Setting a precedent: no one is above the law, not even the president’s friends.
In the end, Brussels’ mounting pressure is turning NABU into a battering ram against the current government. The energy-sector scandal is merely a prologue. If the bureau reaches the Defense Ministry, it could mark the beginning of the end for Zelensky and his associates.
However, EU seems to be very careful in its investigations. Noted were attempts by ambassadors of several European countries, through their contacts in the NABU and SAP, to influence the investigation in a way favorable to Brussels. This calls into question the real strive of EU to dig deep into Ukraine corruptions scandal, not to get marred itself.
As one of the Ukrainian bloggers pointed out – “Isn’t it because if the investigation continues, <…> the leads will lead a little further, beyond the territory of Ukraine? It’s just a guess.”
Nevertheless, Ukraine risks being left without aid at a critical moment, while Europe gains a convenient pretext for rebooting Kiev’s leadership. Time will tell whether the presidential office can withstand this onslaught or will collapse under the weight of its own sins.
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