Zelensky Not Part of ‘Midas’ Corruption Probe, NABU Says

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies said Zelensky is not involved in the “Midas” money laundering investigation involving a luxury real estate near Kyiv. NABU and SAPO also said parts of the probe remain classified, with investigations ongoing into defense, energy and financial corruption schemes. Make us preferred on Google Flip Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at the Roosevelt Foundation's International Four Freedoms Awards ceremony in Middelburg on April 16, 2026. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google President Volodymyr Zelensky “is not and has never been” part of the “Midas” corruption investigation, according to Ukraine’s anti-graft agencies. Semen Kryvonos, the director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), made the comments during a joint briefing with Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) head Oleksandr Klymenko on Tuesday, May 12. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The comments came after NABU and SAPO named new suspects – including Zelensky’s former Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak – in renewed investigations into the laundering of Hr.460 million ($11 million) via elite real estate near Kyiv that’s tied to an earlier case dubbed “Operation Midas.” Operation Midas is an anti-corruption probe that implicates Zelensky’s former associates and top ministers, with earlier investigations leading to the resignations of two ministers after a kickback scheme in the energy sector was uncovered. According to Kryvonos, Operation Midas consisted of several parallel investigations conducted by separate units, while only the leadership of NABU and SAPO knew the full scope of the operation in order to prevent leaks. He added that parts of the investigation are still being carried out undercover and will be disclosed publicly later. Klymenko said investigators continue examining corruption cases linked to the energy sector, defense procurement, drones and weapons purchases, including through international cooperation requests. Other Topics of Interest Russia Ends Brief Lull With 200+ Drone Strike, Zelensky Warns of ‘Mirror Response’ Russia launched over 200 drones and multiple airstrikes across Ukraine following a brief truce, damaging infrastructure and killing civilians. Zelensky vowed a “symmetrical” response and urged stronger sanctions. Anti-corruption agencies allege pressure on experts NABU officials also said that law enforcement agencies had documented pressure on experts involved in the money-laundering case and had opened a separate criminal proceeding. Kryvonos suggested the pressure may have come from members of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). “An unknown person approached an expert and conveyed some signal about being careful with this expertise,” he said. Klymenko confirmed that Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s former defense minister and now secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (RNBO), had been questioned in the case as a witness. Umerov has recently been accused of being among the participants identified in transcripts of allegedly leaked recordings. The new recordings, published on April 29 by Ukrainska Pravda, allegedly capture businessman Tymur Mindich speaking with former presidential adviser Serhiy Shefir, Umerov, and a construction manager linked to an elite housing project near Kyiv. In one recording, Mindich and Shefir discuss former minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was under investigation for illicit enrichment at the time. The two appear to reference helping cover his Hr.120 million ($3 million) bail and mention a shared “cash pool.” Ukrainian investigators have previously said a company linked to Mindich tried to sell low-quality, foreign-made armor disguised as Western products – claims the defense ministry ultimately rejected. Klymenko also said SAPO would seek pre-trial detention with bail set at Hr.180 million ($4.3 million) for former Presidential Office head Yermak, though investigators have not yet questioned him. The Midas case is a large-scale money-laundering scheme allegedly orchestrated by Mindich, a Ukrainian businessman and media producer widely reported to have longstanding ties to Zelensky dating back to their work in the entertainment industry. Oleksandr Tsukerman, his alleged business partner, is believed to have been involved in managing financial operations linked to the scheme, though investigators have disclosed fewer public details about his role. Authorities allege the group operated a $100 million kickback scheme at state nuclear operator Energoatom, siphoning off funds in a case that has sparked public outrage – particularly as it came amid ongoing power shortages caused by Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The Midas case is among the most high-profile corruption investigations currently pursued by Ukraine’s anti-graft agencies, with authorities seeking the suspects’ return to stand trial. On April 2, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office officially sent Israel a request for the extradition of Mindich and Tsukerman. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. 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