Photo: Ministry of Energy of Ukraine (MinEnergo) / Facebook
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) conducted searches on the morning of November 10 involving Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, who served as Minister of Energy from 2021 to mid-2025, according to MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak.
“Halushchenko is also being searched by NABU. What a coincidence,” Zheleznyak wrote, referring to simultaneous searches targeting businessman Tymur Mindich. He later added that NABU was also conducting searches at Energoatom, where Halushchenko served as vice president from May 2020 to April 29, 2021.
The searches also extended to Ihor Myroniuk, a former advisor to Halushchenko. Zheleznyak noted, “Myroniuk was reportedly Halushchenko’s ‘overseer’ on multiple matters. Contractors from state energy projects were often summoned to his office. Previously, he had been a long-time assistant and close associate of the controversial politician Andriy Derkach.”
During his tenure as energy minister, Halushchenko was involved in multiple scandals. The Ministry struggled to restore Ukraine’s energy system following repeated Russian attacks, and his push to continue construction at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, including plans to purchase Russian reactors via Bulgaria, drew heavy criticism.
Halushchenko also systematically appointed loyalists across state energy companies, even those formally under the Cabinet of Ministers. His deputy, Oleksandr Khail, was arrested for demanding a $500,000 bribe to permit companies to evacuate equipment from conflict zones. While the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) tried to portray Halushchenko as cooperating in the case, NABU’s investigation did not mention the minister’s involvement.
Other officials linked to Halushchenko faced charges, including Maksym Nemchinov, accused of collusion causing losses to state-owned Centrenergo, and Yuriy Vlasenko, implicated in a Ministry of Energy auction case involving the sale of liquefied gas to Ukrnafta. Previously, several Energoatom officials were also charged with embezzlement of state funds.
