UP has published a transcript of a previously unknown part of the “Mindich recordings”. They allegedly include Shefir and Umerov

"Ukrainska Pravda" reported that it has received some of the transcripts of wiretapping of the persons involved in the "Midas" case. According to the media, the materials include former presidential aide Serhiy Shefir and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov.

The transcript was published on the UP YouTube channel.

At the beginning of the video, investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach claims that the relevant materials have long been attached to the procedural documents, in particular, regarding the selection of preventive measures for more than ten defendants in the "Midas" case.

Also, according to Tkach, two weeks ago, NABU and SAPO, through the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office, sent to Israel the materials of the criminal case as part of the extradition request for the co-owner of "Kvartal 95" Tymur Mindich and businessman Oleksandr Zukerman. Therefore, the materials of the investigation began to "leak" onto the network, says Tkach.

The journalist read out transcripts of three conversations. They allegedly recorded conversations between Tymur Mindich and former First Assistant to the President of Ukraine Serhiy Shefir, former Minister of Defense and current Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, and a woman named Natalia. In the transcripts, the individuals involved communicate with each other in Russian.

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The first transcript is dated June 30, 2025. During the conversation, according to Tkach, Mindich and Shefir are considering where to get the money to post bail for "Lyosha" — presumably former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who is suspected of abuse of office and taking a bribe.

In particular, "Shefir" says that "everything is normal, there are farmers in Lyosh who will officially close," to which "Mindich" replies that "there arenʼt that many farmers" — we are talking about a deposit of UAH 120 million, half of which was eventually paid by the “Dnipro” company.

The interlocutors also, as Tkach emphasizes, discuss the fact that Shefir transferred half of the earned funds to "Kisel and Sova". Journalists assume that these are peopleʼs deputies from the "Servant of the People" Yuriy Kisel and Oleksandr Sova. At the end of December 2025, Kisel received suspicion from the NABU and SAPO in the case of paying bribes to peopleʼs deputies.

Among other things, the interlocutors discuss the threat of celebrating the birthday of "Aristov" at the restaurant — presumably, this is former Peopleʼs Deputy from the "Servant of the People" Yuriy Aristov, who resigned his mandate after being spotted at a five-star hotel in the Maldives.

The conversation also mentions "Oleh" and "Vova" — UP assumes that "Oleh" is the deputy head of Presidentʼs Office Oleh Tatarov.

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The second transcript shows a conversation between Mindich and a woman named Natalia, Tkach claims. This conversation was allegedly recorded the day after Mindich met with Shefir. There, the two discuss the freeze on the construction of the estates of the Dynasty cooperative, for which Chernyshov may have been responsible, as well as related financial issues.

It is noted that Mindich is afraid that the investigation will spread to the entire cooperative due to Chernyshovʼs suspicion. The four houses in question, according to the UP sources in political circles, could be the homes of Mindich himself, Chernyshov, former head of Presidentʼs Office Andriy Yermak, and probably President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

In this conversation, Mindich mentioned “Maks Donets” — probably referring to the head of the president’s personal security Maksym Donets. “Shura” and “Syhizmund” — probably businessman Oleksandr Zukerman and former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko — also appear there.

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The third conversation, according to UP, took place between Mindich and Rustem Umerov on July 8, 2025. They discussed the possible appointment of Umerov as ambassador to the United States, as well as Denys Shmyhal as Minister of Energy.

The interlocutors then move on to discussing the affairs of Fire Point. Mindich allegedly complains to the then head of the Ministry of Defense that the company is underfunded, although Mindich had previously publicly denied his involvement in the company. The interlocutors also discuss, in Tkachʼs transcript, the potential sale of a stake in Fire Point to foreign investors.

Tkach then describes how Mindich and Umerov allegedly discussed possible appointments to the Ministry of Defense and salaries of their subordinates. The name “Masha” appears several times in the transcripts. She, as the transcripts show, received a “salary” for “putting pressure on Defense City”.

Tkach points out that there is a note in the transcripts: in one of the cases, it is likely that the person in question is Maria Berlinska, a volunteer and head of the Victory Drones project. However, according to Tkach, the analysis of the UP shows that the “Masha” mentioned in the conversation is probably Maria Dotsenko, an advisor to the general director of the joint-stock fund “National Investment Fund of Ukraine”.

In the video, journalist Tkach reported that the UP reached out to Umerov for comment, but his press service stated that they do not comment on "fragments of texts whose authenticity is not confirmed by anything", nor do they make assumptions about specific individuals or circumstances.

The Ukrainian Press Agency also asked Mindich for comment. In response, he stated that he was ready to comment on any questions only after being questioned by NABU, and called the information regarding “ʼFire Pointʼ an attempt to discredit the best company in Ukraine".

What is known about the Midas case?

According to NABU, the participants in the scheme forced “Energoatom” counterparties to pay kickbacks in order to avoid blocking payments for services provided and products supplied or being deprived of supplier status. In addition to Mindich and Zukerman, the following are involved in the case:

• former advisor to the Minister of Energy Ihor Myronyuk (“Rocket”);
• Executive Director for Physical Protection and Security of JSC NNEGC “Energoatom” Dmytro Basov (“Tenor”);
• four “employees” of the back office for money laundering: Ihor Fursenko (“Rioshyk”), Lesya Ustymenko and Lyudmila Zorina.

The NABU recordings also show the Minister of Energy, who at the time was Herman Halushchenko. NABU claims that the participants in the scheme transferred money to former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was suspected of illicit enrichment and sent to detention for two months.

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