Top security official questioned in Ukraine's biggest corruption case
Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, has been questioned by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in a corruption case, media outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on Nov. 26, citing Umerov's press service.
Umerov, who is also a former defense minister, is being investigated by the NABU in a corruption case involving state nuclear power monopoly Energoatom, the biggest corruption investigation during Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency. Eight suspects have been charged in the Energoatom case, and Timur Mindich, a close associate of the president, is allegedly the ringleader.
Umerov did not respond to requests for comment.
Umerov was summoned to NABU as a witness to provide testimony in an investigation into alleged interference in the activities of a state official, according to Umerov's press service.
"The conversation was constructive," the press service said. "Rustem Umerov answered all the investigators' questions in accordance with procedural law."
According to the charges brought against Mindich, he committed his crimes by influencing Umerov and Herman Halushchenko, a former energy and justice minister.
"The successful execution of these criminal activities depended on maintaining personal ties with the heads of ministries and holding systematic meetings with them and other influential state officials at his actual place of residence," the text reads. "This communication enabled Mindich to obtain, both personally and through enterprises subordinate to him, significant sums of money with the assistance of Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov, Energy Minister Halushchenko, and other individuals."
According to the charges, Mindich has pressured Umerov to conclude a contract with an Israeli company for the supply of bulletproof vests.
The contract was eventually signed. However, the company has failed to supply the vests on time, and the Ukrainian army received low-quality Chinese vests instead.
