Ex-justice minister questioned in Ukraine's biggest corruption case, source says
Former Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko was questioned by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on Nov. 21, a law enforcement source told the Kyiv Independent.
The NABU declined to comment on the interrogation, while Halushchenko and the Justice Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Halushchenko is being investigated by the NABU as part of a case involving state nuclear power company Energoatom, the biggest corruption investigation during Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency. Eight suspects have been charged, and Timur Mindich, a close associate of Zelensky, is allegedly the ringleader.
On Nov. 19, the Ukrainian parliament approved Halushchenko's resignation from the position of justice minister amid the corruption scandal. Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, who is also allegedly implicated in the case, was also fired the same day.
Halushchenko was energy minister from 2021 to 2025 and was appointed justice minister in July.
The NABU searched premises linked to Halushchenko as part of the Energoatom investigation on Nov. 10.
Halushchenko, who is sometimes identified as "energy minister" and sometimes by the code names "Professor" and "Sigismund", features in audio recordings published by the NABU.
In the NABU tapes, suspects Ihor Myroniuk and Dmytro Basov appear to divide kickbacks between themselves and Halushchenko.
"We will (divide) it by three: you, me and Professor," Myroniuk said in the recordings.
Myroniuk, who has also been charged in the case, is a former advisor to Halushchenko.
Anti-corruption prosecutor Serhiy Savytskyi said at a court hearing on Nov. 11 that Mindich had allegedly committed his crimes by unlawfully influencing Halushchenko.
In the tapes, there is a conversation between Mindich and Halushchenko.
An anti-corruption prosecutor said at a court hearing on Nov. 12 that, according to the NABU tapes, Zelensky had called Halushchenko during a conversation between the minister, Mindich and another suspect, Oleksandr Tsukerman. The president allegedly made the call after Mindich sent him a message.
Zelensky's press service did not respond to a request for comment.
Halushchenko had been involved in several corruption scandals even before the ongoing Energoatom case.
