Bail posted for two involved in Energoatom corruption case

Nation

13 November 2025, 08:41 PM

The High Anti-Corruption Court received bail payments of UAH25 million ($595,000) and UAH12 million ($285,000) for Lesia Ustymenko and Lyudmila Zorina, who were charged during an ongoing corruption investigation into state nuclear operator Energoatom, journalist Oleh Novikov reported via Telegram on Nov. 13.

Conditions of their release include appearing whenever called by law enforcement, not leaving Kyiv without authorization, notifying authorities of any change of residence or employment, avoiding contact with individuals involved in the case, surrendering their passports, and wearing electronic tracking bracelets.

If they violate these conditions, the bail will be forfeited, and they will be arrested again.

According to sources, the bail amount was posted by Vanguard, a Kyiv-based company established in May with a statutory capital of UAH1,000 ($24), which ostensibly deals in furniture manufacturing. Attempts to reach the company's beneficiary, Anatoliy Sobol, were unsuccessful, and his son claimed to be unaware of the situation.

On Nov. 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced Operation Midas, a wide-ranging investigation into corruption and money laundering at Energoatom. Instigators allege that Tymur Mindich, a businessman and close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, orchestrated the scheme.

By Nov. 12, Halushchenko (who served as Justice Minister since July 2025) and his successor at the Energy Ministry, Svitlana Hrynchuk, have resigned. The Ukrainian parliament will vote to dismiss them on Nov. 18.

Ustymenko and Zorina were named by NABU as one of the several "back-office" Energoatom employees involved in money laundering.

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