The Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Semen Kryvonos, and the head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), Oleksandr Klymenko, provided insights into the ongoing Operation ‘Midas’ during a press briefing on May 12. They confirmed that the investigation focuses on the activities of defense enterprises, including drone manufacturers, and emphasized that President Volodymyr Zelensky is not implicated in the case.
Klymenko described the operation as unique, noting that it was divided into several separate directions to prevent leaks. He stated that only he and Kryvonos were aware of the entire operation.
“The success of this operation depended on two factors: impeccably gathered evidence and the prevention of politicization of the criminal proceedings,” Klymenko remarked.
He added that the investigation is ongoing, and it is crucial for both NABU and SAP to maintain neutrality throughout the process.
Kryvonos indicated that NABU is investigating two main areas: energy and defense. He revealed that since February 2025, the bureau has been examining the activities of arms manufacturers and is in the process of organizing expert evaluations related to the case.
“In February 2025, we sent inquiries to the State Financial Monitoring Service, and only after the publication of information about Operation ‘Midas’ did they begin providing us with responses regarding transactions, including those abroad,” Kryvonos stated.
The NABU director also reported that detectives are conducting pre-trial investigations under pressure. He mentioned that there has been pressure on experts involved in the case, allegedly from employees of the Security Service of Ukraine.
“We are investigating and examining: if we gather enough evidence regarding the pressure on an expert, we will hold those responsible accountable,” Kryvonos added.
Kryvonos reiterated that President Zelensky is not a subject of the Operation ‘Midas’. He refrained from naming specific companies to uphold the presumption of innocence but confirmed that the investigation includes various defense-related entities, particularly drone manufacturers.
Klymenko clarified that NABU and SAP have not conducted any investigative actions at the production facilities nor blocked the accounts of defense enterprises during Operation ‘Midas’.
Additionally, Kryvonos mentioned that Rustem Umerov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, holds the status of a witness in the pre-trial investigation.
In a related development, Klymenko announced that the prosecution would request the High Anti-Corruption Court to impose a preventive measure of detention with bail set at 180 million hryvnias for former presidential office head Andriy Yermak.
“The amount is justified by the detective and prosecutor based on the financial status and participation of the individual. If a person is suspected of involvement in a criminal organization, the financial status of other group members is also considered,” Klymenko explained.
Operation ‘Midas’ was publicly announced on November 10, 2025, as a large-scale effort to uncover corruption in the energy sector, involving over 70 searches. Investigators allege that the scheme’s organizers received kickbacks of up to 15% of contract values from Energoatom, facilitated by companies imposed by the scheme’s participants.
NABU claims that the funds were laundered through so-called back offices in central Kyiv, owned by the family of former MP and current Russian senator Andriy Derkach. The investigation estimates that a total of 100 million dollars was laundered by the suspects.
On November 10, NABU released recordings of conversations among the suspects, revealing their identities. Key figures in the case include businessmen Timur Mindich, co-owner of ‘Kvartal 95’, known by the codename “Karlson”, and Oleksandr Tsukerman, referred to as “Sugar Man”. They left the country shortly before the searches and have since been sanctioned and placed on the wanted list.
According to Alexander Abakumov, head of the NABU detective group, four ministers from various periods of the Ukrainian government have been implicated in the corruption case within the energy sector, including former Minister of Energy and Justice Herman Halushchenko, who also faced searches.
On November 12, Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko submitted a resolution to the Parliament for Halushchenko’s dismissal, along with that of the Minister of Energy, Svitlana Hrynchuk. The Parliament subsequently supported the resolutions for their removal.
Former Minister of Economy Timofiy Milovanov announced his resignation from the supervisory board of Energoatom. The government later declared plans to restart Energoatom’s operations, beginning with the dissolution of its supervisory board.
The High Anti-Corruption Court has set preventive measures for other suspects in this case: Private entrepreneur Lesya Ustymenko was ordered to be held in custody for 60 days with a bail of 25 million hryvnias. She is identified as a worker in the back office, and her bail was posted on November 13.
Igor Mironyuk, described by NABU as a former advisor to Halushchenko, although his lawyer disputes this, has been remanded in custody until January 8, 2025, with a bail option of 126 million hryvnias. He is identified in NABU’s recordings as “Rocket” and has appealed the decision, which was denied by the appellate court on December 17.
Igor Fursenko, the Executive Director for Security at Energoatom, has also been ordered to remain in custody until January 8, with bail set at 95 million hryvnias. He is referred to as “Ryoshik” in NABU’s recordings and his appeal was rejected by the court.
Dmytro Basov, Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security at Energoatom, was placed in custody for 60 days with a bail of 40 million hryvnias, which has been posted, allowing his release.
On November 13, the court assigned a preventive measure of 60 days in custody with a bail of 12 million hryvnias for private entrepreneur Lyudmyla Zorina, whose bail has also been posted.
Former Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov, implicated in the case as “Che Guevara”, has been ordered to remain in custody until January 16, 2026, with a bail option of 51 million hryvnias, which has been paid, resulting in his release from custody. He is also involved in a separate corruption investigation in the construction sector involving top officials.
On December 1, Mindich was assigned a preventive measure of detention in absentia, as the investigation considers him the leader of the group responsible for receiving and laundering funds through corrupt schemes in the energy sector. The case against Mindich may be referred to Interpol for arrest during border crossings.
Operation 'Midas' continues to unfold as Ukrainian authorities investigate corruption in the defense and energy sectors. Key figures, including former officials, are implicated, while the President remains uninvolved in the case.