Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators have taken into custody a former energy minister in connection with a sprawling inquiry that has produced significant political fallout since last November, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said on Sunday.
The probe, known as the 'Midas' case, focuses on an alleged $100 million kickback scheme connected to the state atomic agency and has implicated a number of senior officials and influential business figures, including an individual described as a former associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In an official statement, NABU reported that detectives detained a former minister of energy as the person attempted to cross the state border - an action taken within the investigative framework of the 'Midas' case. The agency said priority investigative actions are ongoing and are being carried out in line with legal requirements. It added that additional information will be provided at a later time, and it did not identify the detainee by name.
The scandal has already prompted the resignations of Ukraine's two most recent energy ministers, and it also led to the departure of the president's chief of staff. The two former ministers and the ex-chief of staff have each denied any wrongdoing.
Fighting corruption remains a central element of Ukraine's reform agenda as the country pursues European Union membership, a process that requires addressing long-standing graft concerns. In recent weeks authorities have broadened their focus, bringing actions against several public figures, including lawmakers, a former prime minister and a former presidential adviser on various charges.
The detention marks the latest tangible development in a case that has already affected high-level officials and stirred political tensions. NABU's announcement underscores that investigative steps continue to unfold and that further disclosures are expected as the probe advances.