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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered a comprehensive audit of the country’s vast defence sector following a major corruption scandal that has already rocked the energy industry.
The move comes after investigators uncovered extensive graft within the energy system, including fraudulent contracts linked to safeguarding Ukraine’s power grid – a network repeatedly targeted by relentless Russian missile and drone strikes.
In a statement posted on social media, Zelenskyy confirmed that the probe will now extend to state-run defence enterprises.
“A decision has been prepared for a complete review of state defence companies and all related contracts,” he said. “Any violations identified will be transferred to law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies.”
The announcement follows revelations that two central suspects in the $100 million kickback scandal – Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman – have been placed on Ukraine’s wanted list. Both men remain at large, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Mindich is known as a co-owner of Kvartal 95, the media company Zelenskyy helped create before entering politics, and Ukrainian outlets have previously reported that the pair were once close.
Zelenskyy said the supervisory boards of state defence firms were already being restructured, in parallel with the deepening investigation into the energy sector that began last week as the contours of the corruption scheme started to emerge.
He also noted that Kyiv was preparing for discussions with international financial organisations as it seeks urgent financial support at a time when Russian forces are gaining ground on the battlefield.
Anti-corruption officials say roughly $100 million was syphoned from Ukraine’s energy industry, sparking public anger in a country still grappling with widespread blackouts caused by ongoing Russian strikes.
In response, Zelenskyy dismissed two government ministers and imposed sanctions on Mindich and Tsukerman, whom investigators have identified as the chief architects of the scheme.
The scandal has prompted several European partners to urge Kyiv to intensify its efforts against corruption as the war with Russia continues.
