Mindich Corruption Probe Widens, as Pressure Mounts to Remove Zelenskyy's Close Ally Yermak

New details have emerged in the corruption case surrounding businessman Timur Mindich, a longtime associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Orda.kz reports.

According to a document made public by Ukraine’s anti-corruption investigators, Mindich allegedly used his personal ties to Zelenskyy and senior officials to build a criminal network during wartime and enrich himself through schemes in the energy and defense sectors.

The document states that Mindich exploited his “friendly relations” with Zelenskyy and influence over former and current high-ranking officials to organize crimes across several areas of the economy.

The accusations include creating a criminal organization, illicit influence on the energy and defense ministries, control over financial flows, money laundering, and recruiting accomplices.

Zelenskyy’s name appears twice — once in describing Mindich’s access to the president, and again in reference to former Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, who, according to investigators, allegedly benefited from Mindich’s protection “before President Zelenskyy.”

Halushchenko, along with Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, was dismissed on 19 November.

The materials also include transcripts of conversations between Mindich and then – Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (now Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council).

Allegedly, they discussed the purchase of low-quality body armor. The recordings show Mindich pressuring Umerov to approve the gear, citing millions of hryvnias invested — “half of it my money,” as he purportedly said. 

Umerov replied that he would speak to those responsible.

The scandal has coincided with a political crisis around Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s powerful chief of staff, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

While Yermak has not been formally named in the case, several senior officials and lawmakers have urged the president to remove him.

A group within the ruling faction is threatening to break ranks unless he is dismissed.

Some foreign officials privately describe him as overreaching and difficult to work with, while personnel and institutional decisions are impossible without his approval, Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Action Center, told the Kyiv Independent.

Investigators say Mindich fled the country after being tipped off. Others implicated in the case include former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov, Justice Minister Halushchenko, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, and Rustem Umerov.

Sources within law enforcement claim that kickback money was also used to finance the construction of several luxury homes outside Kyiv, one of which was allegedly intended for Yermak — an allegation he has not commented on.

Zelenskyy and Umerov were reported to be in Türkiye on 19 November to discuss prisoner exchanges and negotiations with Russia as the scandal continued to unfold.