Former Ukrainian energy minister German Galashchenko has been detained while trying to leave the country, authorities say.
Galashchenko was removed from his post last year after being implicated in a corruption scandal. He was reportedly fleeing Ukraine on a train when he was arrested. It is not clear where he was going.
Galashchenko and other officials were charged in November with involvement in the alleged embezzlement of $100 million (£75 million).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to power on a promise to crack down on corruption and his government has come under intense pressure over the scandal.
Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has resigned after his home was searched. President Zelensky and Andriy Yermak have not been charged with any wrongdoing.
However, the scandal has increased pressure on the United States to hold elections in Ukraine. Elections in the country were suspended under Ukraine’s constitutional rules after the start of the war in 2022.
Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) said in a statement on Sunday that its investigators had detained the former energy minister “crossing the state border.” The NABU said the arrest was part of the Midas case.
The NABU statement did not specifically name Galashchenko, but several prominent Ukrainian media outlets have identified him.
Galashchenko had also served briefly as justice minister before being ordered to resign by President Zelensky in November. He had previously served as energy minister for three years. His successor, Svetlana Hrynchuk, also resigned after being named in the scandal.
According to NABU and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutors’ Office (SAP) in Ukraine, a major anti-corruption operation, dubbed Operation Midas, was launched after a 15-month investigation.
NABU and SAP accused several individuals of plotting to embezzle funds from Ukraine’s energy sector and the national nuclear agency Energoatom.
Galashchenko was among those accused of receiving commissions from Energoatom’s contractors, which amounted to 10 to 15 percent of the value of the contracts.
Anti-corruption agencies also said that the project involved money laundering of large sums. They also released photos of bags full of cash. According to NABU, the funds were later transferred out of Ukraine to Russia and other countries.
Galashchenko had previously said that he would defend himself against the charges.
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