Ukraine’s Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk have resigned following a large-scale corruption investigation in the country’s energy sector, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko announced that both ministers stepped down at the request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after allegations emerged of bribery and embezzlement involving senior officials at the state-owned nuclear energy company Energoatom.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) revealed that it has been investigating the case for over 15 months. During the probe, authorities conducted more than 70 raids, recorded over 1,000 hours of conversations, and detained five suspects, while identifying seven others allegedly involved in a scheme worth nearly $100 million.

Those under investigation include a businessman, a former energy ministry advisor, and a top security official at Energoatom. They are accused of diverting public funds and engaging in large-scale bribery and money laundering.

Svyrydenko also stated that sanctions were imposed on businessmen Timur Myndych and Oleksandr Tsukerman, who are believed to have close ties to senior political figures.

The scandal has prompted concerns among Ukraine’s Western allies. European officials have emphasized the importance of maintaining anti-corruption progress as Kyiv continues its path toward EU membership.

The Ukrainian government said new measures will be introduced to strengthen oversight and restore public trust in the country’s energy institutions. (ILKHA)