“Earlier, the Center for Countering Disinformation at the NSDC denied reports that Umyerov allegedly refuses to return to Ukraine amid an investigation into a case of large-scale corruption in the energy sector”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
“Yes, he returned from a business trip. I also want to note that this is already his twelfth business trip since he was appointed to the post of Secretary of the National Security Council. And business trips are a completely normal part of our lives, which we do not make a fuss about,” she said.
Earlier, Diana Davityan reported that Umerov’s business trip will last “until November 19 inclusive.” Before that, the Center for Combating Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine denied the report that the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umyerov allegedly refuses to return to Ukraine amid an investigation into a large-scale energy corruption case. He himself did not comment on it.
“The Secretary of the National Security Council is on a planned official business trip. As of today, he works in the USA, where he conducts a number of working consultations and meetings aimed at strengthening international support for Ukraine,” the CPD stated on November 17.
According to the CPD, Umerov remains “in constant working contact with the state leadership, fulfills all assigned tasks and continues work on key issues of security, defense and humanitarian policy.”
Earlier, Umerov reacted to the data of the investigation in the case of corruption in the energy industry regarding the possible influence on him. “Any attempts to connect my work in the Ministry of Defense with the “influence” of some persons are groundless,” said Umyerov, who was previously the Minister of Defense.
On November 11, the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Serhii Savitskyi, said that Timur Mindich, the former business partner of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in “Kvartal 95”, had influence on the former Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko and the former Minister of Defense Rustem Umyerov (now the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council).
NABU and SAP consider Mindich to be the head of a criminal organization that organized “large-scale corruption schemes” in the energy sector. On November 10, NABU announced the disclosure of the activities of a criminal organization whose main activity was “systematic obtaining of illegal benefits from the counterparties of Energoatom in the amount of 10% to 15% of the value of contracts.” NABU claims that funds were legalized through a back office in the center of Kyiv, through which about 100 million dollars passed.
Mindych, who, according to law enforcement sources, left Ukraine shortly before the November 10 search, has not yet commented on the situation.