Position: former advisor to the Minister of Energy.
Sphere of corruption: energy.
Region of corruption activity: all of Ukraine.
Qualification: detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
Status: The court remanded Myronyuk in custody until January 8, 2025, with the possibility of bail of 126 million hryvnias.
Story of the case: On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) announced the launch of a large-scale operation "Midas" to expose corruption in the energy sector, which included more than 70 searches.
The agency has released recordings of conversations between those involved with code names and claims that the scheme included: "Rocket", who was an advisor to the former Minister of Energy and now the head of the Ministry of Justice, Herman Galushchenko; "Tenor", who was the executive director for physical protection and security at Energoatom; a well-known businessman and four other people. In total, they managed to "launder" $100 million.
Energoatom stated that they are fully cooperating with investigative authorities, facilitating a transparent investigation, and providing all materials requested by law enforcement officers.
Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said that neither she nor the previous head of the department, Herman Galushchenko, had an advisor named Ihor Myronyuk, who appears in the investigation under the pseudonym "Rocket". She also noted that Energoatom is not under the direct control of the Ministry of Energy, but assured that the department "will react in accordance with the results of the investigation." The President's Office commented on the investigation by anti-corruption agencies into the embezzlement scheme in the energy sector and stated that "there must be an inevitability of punishment" for all those involved.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "effective actions" are needed and that all those involved in schemes in the energy sector must be punished. On the morning of November 10, "UP" reported, citing sources, that NABU officers had searched the home of businessman and co-owner of the company "Kvartal 95" Timur Mindich. According to the publication, he himself had left Ukraine a few hours earlier. The State Border Guard Service said that they did not have access to information about the businessman's departure.
"UP" also claims that the first deputy head of the SAPO Andriy Synyuk had access to high-profile cases and held "confidential meetings" before Mindich's alleged departure. The official, in a comment to journalists, stated that he did not "leak" any information, and also that he did not have access to cases that could be related to Mindich and Energoatom.
Because of this, the head of the SAPO, Oleksandr Klymenko, created a commission for an official investigation into the possible leak of data from the pre-trial investigation of the NABU and SAPO.
On November 12, the HIgh Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) remanded former advisor to the Minister of Energy Ihor Myronyuk in custody until January 8, 2025, with the possibility of posting bail of 126 million hryvnias. He is suspected of participating in a large-scale embezzlement scheme in the energy sector.
This is reported by a correspondent of Suspilny from the courtroom.
At the hearing, the prosecutor continued to analyze the dialogues involving Myronyuk with businessman Timur Mindich, who, according to the investigation, is the organizer of the scheme, and other accomplices. They contained information about the facts of money transfers in February-March 2025. In the investigation of the NABU and the SAPO, he appears under the code name "Rocket".
In turn, Myronyuk's lawyer stated that the prosecutor is deliberately "inflating" the charges against his client. He also argued that his client has never held official positions in the areas of activity of the Ministry of Energy and Energoatom and has never been an advisor to ministers and has no influence. Therefore, according to him, according to the law, it is impossible to accuse Myronyuk of a crime related to official positions.
After hearing the parties' arguments, the court partially granted the prosecutor's motion and remanded Myroniuk in custody until January 8, 2025, with the possibility of bail of 126 million hryvnias.
If bail is posted and released from custody, he will be required to wear an electronic bracelet. In addition, Myronyuk will be given personal obligations for a period of two months: not to travel outside Kyiv and Kyiv region; to appear before the prosecutor and court upon first request; to refrain from communicating with other suspects and witnesses in the case; to report any change of residence and work; to surrender passports for travel abroad.
Myronyuk's lawyer stated that the defense will file an appeal against this court decision.
Also on November 12, the court sent the executive director of physical protection and security of Energoatom, Dmytro Basov (in the investigation he appears under the code name "Tenor"), to pre-trial detention with the possibility of bail of 40 million hryvnias on suspicion of participation in a large-scale embezzlement scheme in the energy sector.
What happened at the meeting on November 11. Myronyuk's lawyers said that they had not read all the volumes of the case, so they needed time to do so. They proposed a break in the meeting.
The prosecutor in the case reported before the hearing that Myronyuk was not only one of the executors of the money laundering scheme at Energoatom, but also contributed to the involvement of businessmen Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman in the scheme.
The prosecution confirmed that former Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, who is now the Minister of Justice, and former Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov were involved in the scheme. According to the prosecutor, it was with the assistance of Myronyuk Herman Galushchenko that the businessmen gained control over Energoatom and further laundered money.
On November 11, it became known that the Ministry of Justice conducted investigative actions with the participation of Herman Galushchenko . Minister Galushchenko refrained from public comments until the completion of the relevant procedural actions.
The prosecutor also stated that Myronyuk allegedly interviewed Svitlana Hrynchuk for the position of Minister of Energy in the summer of 2025. In July 2025, she was appointed Minister of Energy of Ukraine during the change of government.
The prosecutor requested that Myronyuk be kept in custody and bail set at 136 million 620 thousand hryvnias. He insisted that the suspect could go abroad because his wife and child live there. There is also a risk of influencing witnesses in the case. In addition, Myronyuk invested in the construction of 20 villas on the island of Mauritius, so he can leave Ukraine, because he has a business abroad.
Myronyuk's lawyer appealed to the fact that his client allegedly did not officially work as a civil servant and was not an advisor to the Minister of Energy. Myronyuk allegedly provided consulting and legal services. Therefore, he had no influence on the Ministry of Energy and Energoatom, the lawyer argued. The defense attorney also stated that his client's health condition does not allow him to be in a pre-trial detention center.
After the break, the court continued the consideration of the preventive measure for Mironyuk. During the review of the case materials, the prosecutor noted that one of the organizers of the Energoatom embezzlement scheme, Timur Mindich, had influence on the former Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov. Umerov reported that he was not involved in the persons involved in the Energoatom embezzlement case, and the contract with Timur Mindich for the supply of bulletproof vests was terminated under his leadership of the Ministry of Defense.
Ihor Myronyuk's lawyer stated during the court hearing that the prosecutor has no "evidence" in the case such as contracts, signatures, real names. According to the lawyer, the recordings of conversations are not evidence of embezzlement.
According to the case materials presented by the prosecutor during the meeting, Oleksandr Tsukerman influenced Energoatom's decision to select contractors to execute tenders. Ihor Mironyuk's role was in controlling the execution and work of Energoatom's management. Ihor Mironyuk's control was so widespread that he was able to send Petro Kotin, the former president of Energoatom, abroad , the prosecutor said during the meeting. The NACP opened a case against Petro Kotin due to undeclared property. On August 21, 2025, Kotin was dismissed from the position of acting president of Energoatom.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes:
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has reported suspicions to seven individuals in the energy corruption case (Operation Midas). The NABU did not name them, but journalists from "Scheme" (Radio Liberty) managed to find out who exactly they are.
According to sources in law enforcement agencies, these are businessman, co-founder of the Kvartal-95 studio Timur Mindich (codenamed "Carlson" on NABU tapes), former advisor to the Minister of Energy Ihor Myronyuk ("Rocket"), executive director for security at Energoatom Dmytro Basov ("Tenor") and four more "employees" of the so-called "back office for money laundering": among them Oleksandr Tsukerman ("Sugarman"), Ihor Fursenko ("Ryoshik"), Lesya Ustimenko and Lyudmila Zorina. "Ryoshik" is called the "back office" accountant in NABU. It was he who said on the recordings that carrying a box of money was "such a pleasure."
Igor Fursenko is registered as a private entrepreneur with the main type of activity - consulting on informatization issues. Fursenko's number is signed by other subscribers as "Igor, employee of Mikhail Tsukerman."
MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak wrote that the Zukerman brothers "managed the financial part of Timur Mindich."
Lesya Ustimenko is listed in contacts as "Lesya Kyiv Financier Brativ".
She is a private entrepreneur with the main activity "Market research and public opinion research".
In 2023, Ustimenko became the owner of a parking space in a building in the center of Kyiv, which, according to "Schemes", houses the "back office" mentioned in the NABU investigation. Her husband is probably a Russian citizen. As journalists have established, until 2015 he regularly traveled to Russia, where he comes from. At the same time, he received a Ukrainian passport.
At the same time, with the help of the website of the Russian Tax Service, it was possible to establish his individual taxpayer number in Russia, linked to his passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, which he did not renew after reaching the appropriate age.
Lyudmila Zorina also has an individual entrepreneur, the type of activity is consulting on commercial activities and management. Zorina's email address also includes a person named Vadim Leonidovich Grona. Bihus.Info journalists told about a person with the same name in their investigation - he is a former adviser to the head of the Agency for the Investigation and Management of Assets, who constantly visited ARMA and gave instructions to employees, although he is not an employee. In a comment to journalists, Grona confirmed that Lyudmila Zorina is "his acquaintance", but they have not communicated for the past 5-6 years.
Five people from the list of suspects have been detained. Two – Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Zukerman – have left Ukraine.
The NABU and SAPO also reported suspicion of illicit enrichment to the former Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.
Although the case does not specify a name, according to various media sources, it concerns Oleksiy Chernyshov. This is the second suspicion announced to the former employee. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), the former Deputy Prime Minister was among the people who visited the so-called "laundry" - a place where funds obtained by criminal means were legalized.
According to the investigation, the former employee received funds from Zuckerman, who probably legalized them for Mindich. This "laundry" was controlled by the head of a criminal organization that NABU and SAPO had exposed the day before.
Detectives documented the transfer of over 1.2 million USD and almost 100 thousand euros in cash to the suspect and his proxy. Qualification: Art. 368–5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine
In addition, the NABU tapes also include "The Professor." According to sources, this is Herman Galushchenko. He was removed from his post. Herman Galushchenko reacted to the government's decision to remove him from the duties of Minister of Justice. He stated that he "fully agrees" with the removal, but "does not hold on" to the position of minister.
I spoke with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svirydenko. I completely agree: a political decision needs to be made, and only then deal with all the details. I am not holding on to the position of minister and will not hold on to it.
Assets: the NACP register contains no information about Myronyuk's assets.
Persons who should have reacted: in the case of Myroniuk, law enforcement officers reacted in a timely manner.
Scandals: There is no information in open sources about other scandals in which Myronyuk would appear.
Sources:
https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/nabu-povidomylo-pidozru-chernyshovu-shcho-vidomo-2954897.html