Ukrainian Lawmaker Seeks Probe of Zelensky Ties as ‘Midas’ Scandal Puts Budget Vote at Risk

Overview

• Opposition lawmaker Oleksii Goncharenko said the ruling party now lacks votes to pass the 2026 budget and asked the SBU and prosecutor general to examine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s links to businessman Timur Mindich.
• NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office launched Operation Midas on November 10 targeting an alleged energy-sector network and later released audio excerpts from roughly 1,000 hours of recordings.
• Prosecutors on November 11 filed charges against multiple suspects, naming Mindich as the alleged ringleader and citing about $100 million in laundered funds.
• Searches were conducted at properties tied to Mindich, at locations linked to Justice Minister Herman Galushchenko, and at Energoatom; Galushchenko was suspended, Energoatom’s supervisory board was dismissed, and ministerial resignation letters were submitted.
• Zelensky on November 13 imposed sanctions on Mindich and financier Alexander Tsukerman, and reports say Mindich left Ukraine for Israel hours before the searches.