Ukraine’s Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk has fled Ukraine as a widening corruption scandal tied to the country’s energy sector continues to shake President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government. Hrynchuk, who has served as Energy Minister since July, was formally implicated in what is now being called the Mindich Case, a sweeping corruption probe centered on businessman Timor Mindich, long referred to in political circles as “Zelensky’s wallet.” Investigators believe Hrynchuk’s involvement dates back to her previous post heading the Ministry of Environmental Protection, where she is alleged to have played a role in a graft scheme valued at roughly $100 million. The operation reportedly involved inflated contracts and kickbacks linked to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy operator. Secret recordings cited by Ukrainian media describe Hrynchuk as a protégé of former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, who she succeeded earlier this year.
Halushchenko, who transitioned to the post of Justice Minister in July, was removed from office on Wednesday after Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted to expel him. His ouster further deepened the crisis surrounding Zelensky’s cabinet, raising questions about how far the Mindich Case will extend and whether additional ministers or senior officials may soon be implicated.
The turmoil escalated further on Wednesday when a bloc of lawmakers from Zelensky’s ruling Servant of the People Party publicly called for the creation of a new “coalition of national resilience.” The letter, signed by ten MPs, urged the government to bring opposition parties into a broader unity coalition. Should these MPs formally break with Zelensky’s party, it could threaten the governing majority in the Rada. The party has already suffered several defections over the past two years, and the loss of additional members could place Zelensky’s control of parliament—and thus his government—at serious risk.
The Mindich Case has rapidly become the most significant internal political crisis of Zelensky’s presidency since the war with Russia began in 2022. Until now, Zelensky has maintained near-total domestic authority in Kiev, supported by steady Western backing and largely positive media coverage across NATO countries. But the widening scandal has left him more politically exposed than at any point during the war. Some regional analysts believe the timing of the revelations may reflect pressure from Washington or from anti-Zelensky factions within Kiev’s political establishment. According to these interpretations, the scandal may be intended either to force Zelensky from power or to pressure him toward accepting a negotiated settlement with Russia as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its latest push for a peace agreement. Several reports claim Trump administration officials now view Zelensky as too weakened to resist concessions in peace talks, with the Mindich scandal emerging as the central factor undermining his leverage.