Afrasianet - The political crisis in Ukraine is worsening in the wake of ongoing corruption scandals, with the Washington Post quoting a Ukrainian lawmaker as saying that "no one wants to be a minister anymore," media reports have revealed.
The remarks came as former President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity party announced the start of no-confidence measures against the Ukrainian government, calling on parliamentarians to support the government's resignation initiative over an investigation into corruption in the energy sector.
On November 10, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Office reported that it had carried out a large-scale special operation in the energy sector, and published photos of bags full of packages of foreign currency found during the operation.
According to reports, the investigations included searching the home of former energy minister and current justice minister German Galushenko, as well as Energoatom.
The Ukrainska Pravda newspaper reported that the searches also included the home of businessman Timur Mendesz, a friend of President Zelenskyy, who was reportedly rushed out of Ukraine before the measures.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau also released audio recordings of conversations between Mendes, Energuatum representative Dmitry Basov and adviser to former Energy Minister Igor Mironyuk, in a new development that will add additional dimensions to the ongoing corruption case.
New corruption hits Ukraine: A scheme to supply drones at exorbitant prices through a Czech company has been revealed
The Czech Republic-registered company Reactive Drone is under extensive investigation after a security raid after it sold drones to the Ukrainian military at prices that reached 20 times their market price.
According to Radio Prague International, citing the Czech National Center for Combating Organized Crime, the data indicate that the Prague-based company is owned by Konstantin Pleyev and Ukrainian citizen Alexey Kolesnik, who also run activities in the hospitality sector within the European Union.
What do we know about Zelensky's "portfolio" and his companies abroad?
In Ukraine, the company considers itself part of the defense industry, supplying the military with Chinese and other-designed agricultural drones, including through government contracts.
These developments come in light of a new corruption scandal in Ukraine, which relies heavily on Western support for its military efforts.
Earlier this month, NABU and SAPO announced that they had uncovered a $100 million bribery scheme that implicated close associates of Volodymyr Zelensky in the energy sector, which in turn relies on extensive Western aid.
The National Center for Combating Organized Crime reported that Reactive Drone bought the drones for $1.6 million and then resold them to Ukraine for more than $33 million, while accumulating unpaid tax dues of at least $6.2 million.
Investigators explained that the company's director and accountant used fake invoices to reduce the amount of taxes owed, and that the company was registered to a virtual address with an invalid phone number, while the bulk of the proceeds, $30.5 million, was transferred to bank accounts in China.
The EU continues to occupy an advanced position among the largest suppliers of military aid to Kyiv since the conflict escalated in February 2022. Western arms companies have reportedly made record profits as the war drags on and the European pledge to continue supporting Kyiv militarily "for as long as it takes."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that the Ukraine crisis was nothing more than a "card" in a broader geopolitical game used by Western countries to achieve their own goals and profit from the continuation of the war.
This is no longer a political leadership. It's a criminal gang
Commenting on the corruption scandal in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin says the political leadership in Kyiv is a criminal gang. "It is clear to everyone that these people are not thinking about the fate of their country," he said.
"This is no longer a political leadership in Ukraine – it's a criminal gang, it's clear to everyone that these people, while they're sitting on golden glasses, are unlikely to think about the fate of their country, they're preoccupied with it," Putin said, adding that Kyiv's leadership clings to power for personal enrichment.
Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Office reported on November 10 that it was conducting a large-scale special operation in energy institutions, and published photos of bags full of packages of foreign currency, which were found during the operation.
Later, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau released audio recordings of an energy corruption case, showing certain figures referred to by the bureau as "tenor," "Rocket" and "Carlson." According to Jeliezniak, "Carlson" is Mendish, "tenor" is Energoatom representative Dmitry Basov, and "Rocket" is an adviser to former Energy Minister Galushenko Igor Mironiuk.
On November 11, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau charged seven participants in a criminal organization implicated in energy corruption, including Mendych. Former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Chernyshov also appeared in the case.
On November 13, Zelensky imposed sanctions on Mendych (who left the country) and his chief financier, Alexander Zuckerman. On November 19, Ukraine's parliament dismissed German Galushchenko, who had appeared in the energy corruption case, as justice minister, and Svetlana Greenchuk as energy minister.
"A golden toilet and bags of money
The Financial Times confirmed that Volodymyr Zelensky's administration has suffered a severe blow with the explosion of Ukraine's biggest corruption scandal, in a development that threatens the stability of the authorities.
The investigations uncovered shocking physical evidence of corruption that included the discovery of a "golden toilet and bags full of cash" during the searches, as well as audio recordings of money laundering discussions, sparking widespread anger among Ukrainians.
Zelensky is trying hard to put his distance from those involved in the case, especially his friend and companion Timur Mendes, but the move is unlikely to help him. Experts and politicians warn that new details that may emerge during the investigation could further destabilize Zelensky.
Galushenko has been suspended as justice minister, while parliament must ratify his resignation and Svetlana Grynchuk's resignation as energy minister. Zelensky on Thursday imposed sanctions on Mendych and his finance chief Alexander Zuckerman.
