NABU: Zelensky does not appear and has not appeared in the money laundering investigations

President Volodymyr Zelensky does not appear and has not appeared in the investigations into the laundering of UAH 460 million in luxury real estate near Kyiv.

This was stated by the NABU head Semen Kryvonos during a joint briefing with the SAPO head Oleksandr Klymenko.

On May 11, NABU and SAPO reported suspicions to the former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak in the case of legalization of UAH 460 million during the construction of elite cottages near Kyiv.

The next day, May 12, six more defendants were suspected in the same proceedings, including former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and businessman Tymur Mindich.

According to the investigation, in 2021-2025, the participants in the scheme were able to launder more than UAH 460 million through the construction of a cottage town in Kozyn (Kyiv region). This includes four private residences and a separate public spa area.

The investigation also believes that the projectʼs financing could have partly come from corruption schemes at NNEGC “Energoatom”, which are being investigated as part of the Midas case.

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 deprivation 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, a position held at the time by Herman Halushchenko.
• NABU claims that the participants in the scheme transferred money to former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was suspected of illegal enrichment.

On the eve of the announcement of suspicion, Mindich left for Israel. Subsequently, NABU sent documents to put him on the Interpol wanted list. The Supreme Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Chernyshov to be held in custody with bail of UAH 120 million, which was paid in full.

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