Ukraine suspends justice minister over energy corruption
“This morning, we held an extraordinary government meeting. We made a decision to suspend Herman Halushchenko from performing the duties of minister of justice,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on social media platform X.
She added that Deputy Justice Minister for European Integration Liudmyla Sugak would temporarily assume Halushchenko’s duties.
Halushchenko, who previously served as energy minister before taking over the justice portfolio in July, said he accepted the decision and would cooperate with authorities. “A political decision needs to be made, and only then deal with all the details. I do not hold on to the position of minister and will not hold on. I believe that suspension (of my duties) for the duration of the investigation is a civilized and correct scenario,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that he would defend himself legally.
The investigation, launched earlier this week, is part of a “large-scale operation” targeting corruption in the energy industry. According to reports, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) uncovered what it called a “high-level criminal organization” that allegedly attempted to influence major state enterprises, including the national nuclear energy company Energoatom.
NABU stated that the probe has been ongoing for 15 months, involving over 1,000 hours of audio recordings. Investigators claim that members of the group demanded illegal payments equivalent to 10–15% of state contract values. Authorities have detained five suspects and issued formal charges against seven others as the investigation continues.
The Justice Ministry confirmed Halushchenko is among those under scrutiny and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement. “The Ministry of Justice consistently adheres to the principle of zero tolerance for corruption. If found guilty, individuals must be held accountable in accordance with the procedure established by the court,” the ministry said.
The corruption probe comes just months after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy restored the independence of the country’s two main anti-corruption bodies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office — following public backlash against earlier legislation that placed them under the prosecutor general’s oversight.
Curbing corruption remains a crucial step for Ukraine as it seeks to advance membership talks with the European Union, which formally opened accession negotiations with Kyiv in June 2024. Despite reforms, critics argue that pervasive corruption continues to challenge Ukraine’s governance, with the ongoing war further complicating efforts to tackle graft.
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