Ukraine's energy minister submits resignation
Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk has tendered her resignation.
She announced the decision in a Facebook post, according to Ukrinform.
"I have submitted my resignation. The position was never an end in itself for me. I am grateful to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and MPs for the opportunity to serve the state, which I have done over the past ten years in various public service roles, starting as a senior specialist," Hrynchuk wrote.
She stressed that no legal violations occurred in the course of her professional activities.
"Regarding the speculations about my personal relationships, any speculation on this matter is inappropriate. Everything has its limits," she added.
Earlier, Zelensky stated that Justice Minister German Galushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk must resign.
On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced a special operation to uncover corruption in the energy sector. Investigators found that members of a criminal organization had built an extensive scheme to exert influence over strategic state-owned enterprises, including Energoatom.
A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said that NABU officers had conducted searches at the premises of businessman and co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio Tymur Mindich, as well as at the residence of Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who previously served as energy minister.
On November 11, law enforcement officers detained five individuals and approved suspicion notices for seven in the energy-sector corruption case. Among them are a businessman who headed a criminal organization, a former adviser to the energy minister, Energoatom's executive director in charge of physical protection and security, and four employees of a "back office" involved in money laundering.
According to the Schemes investigative project, those charged include Tymur Mindich (who appears on the audio recordings of conversations between the case's suspects, released by NABU, under the name "Carlson"), former adviser to the energy minister Ihor Myroniuk ("Rocket"), Energoatom Executive Director for Security Dmytro Basov ("Tenor"), Oleksandr Tsukerman ("Sugarman"), Ihor Fursenko ("Rioshyk"), Lesia Ustymenko, and Liudmyla Zorina.
Five of the suspects have been detained, while Mindich and Tsukerman have fled Ukraine.
Photo: Svitlana Hrynchuk / Facebook