6 hours agoMajor corruption scandal in Ukraine, one of Zelensky's closest people questioned
Periskopi(7 months ago)
(7 months ago)Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has questioned Rustem Umerov, the Secretary of the Council of Security and National Defence of Ukraine and former defence minister. Umerov was questioned about the corruption issue in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's associate, Timur Mindych, was involved. “Rusem Umerov was [...]
Umerov was questioned about the corruption issue in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's associate, Timur Mindych, was involved.
“Rustem Umerov was invited to NABU as a witness to testify in the criminal procedure initiated due to interference in the activities of a government official. The conversation was constructive. Rustem Umerov answered all questions to investigators within the framework of the procedure law”,Ukrainian Justice reported.
On November 23rd, Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexey Goncharenko reported that NABU had prepared charges against Umerov for embezzlement.
On November 10, NABU and SAP launched a major operation to uncover corruption schemes in the energy sector. The bureau searched the homes of former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, the Energoatom company and Timur Mindič, who is believed to be the founder of a criminal group and <x0portofoli” of Zelensky. The businessman allegedly left Ukraine.
Later, NABU published photos of bags full of foreign currency piles and audio recordings showing three people with nicknames “Charles”, “Tenor” and “Rocket”. According to Verkhovna deputy Rada, Yaroslav Zelezniak, these people are Midič, Dimytro Basov, executive director of physical and security protection at Energoatom, and Igor Mironyuk, Galushchenko adviser. Former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olexey Chernyshov is also involved in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has already pressed charges against seven members of the criminal organisation.
Mindiić and businessman Aleksandar Zukman were placed on the wanted list. Galushchenko, who had been in charge of the Justice Ministry since summer, and Energy Minister Svetlana Greenchuk was replaced.
Zelensky claims he was unaware of what was happening behind his back. When asked about the possible departure of Andriy Yermak, who is also believed to be involved in corruption schemes, the Ukrainian leader replied that the president's “zyra is his personal department, so he has the right to make any” decision.
