Zelenskyy slaps sanctions on associate Mindich, Tsukerman amid Energoatom graft probe
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree imposing three-year personal sanctions on businessmen Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman, both Israeli passport holders, including asset freezes and trade bans, the presidential office announced.
On Wednesday, the Cabinet of Ministers at an extraordinary meeting submitted to the National Security and Defense Council proposals to apply personal sanctions against Mindich and Tsukerman.
The document signed by Zelenskyy specifies that the sanctions are imposed for three years. At the same time, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak notes that the Cabinet's sanction proposals envisioned a 10-year term.
The decree's appendix also indicates that both Mindich and Tsukerman hold Israeli citizen passports.
The sanctions include blocking assets, trade bans, deprivation of state awards and more.
Background
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau announced on November 10 a large-scale "Midas" operation to expose corruption in the energy sector.
According to investigators, the criminal organization's main activity was systematically collecting "kickbacks" from Energoatom contractors at 10% to 15% of contract values. In particular, contractors had to pay to avoid blocking payments for services/goods delivered or losing supplier status.
Money was laundered through a separate Kyiv office belonging to the family of former lawmaker and current Russian senator Andriy Derkach, law enforcement said.
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office prosecutor reported that the scheme involved businessmen Timur Mindich (Carlson) and Oleksandr Tsukerman (Chef).
According to the prosecutor, in 2025 Mindich influenced Energy Minister German Galushchenko (Professor) and then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The prosecutor also confirmed involvement of the former Minister of National Unity. Oleksiy Chernyshov has already been charged for illicit enrichment.
NABU has charged seven more members of a criminal organization who, according to investigators, are involved in a large-scale corruption scheme in the energy sector. Five have already been detained and taken into custody .
Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing sources, that on Monday morning, NABU officers searched the home of businessman and co-owner of the Kvartal 95 company, Timur Mindich. However, according to the publication, he allegedly left the territory of Ukraine a few hours before the searches. NABU also searched the homes of German Galushchenko, the Minister of Justice, who was previously the Minister of Energy, and the Energoatom company.