Ukrainian authorities have arrested Deputy Minister of Energy Alexander Khaylo and three accomplices for orchestrating a large-scale corruption scheme involving a $500,000 bribe. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) uncovered the operation with assistance from Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko.According to the investigation, Khaylo allegedly promised to facilitate the transfer of unique and scarce mining equipment from state-owned coal enterprises in the war-torn Donetsk region to companies in the Lviv-Volyn coal basin in western Ukraine. The equipment, crucial for the country’s energy sector, is located in Pokrovsk, one of the most contested areas on the eastern front.The bribe was to be paid in five installments of $100,000 each. The SBU documented each transaction and arrested Khaylo and his three accomplices – a private energy trader, the head of an energy company from the Mykolaiv region, and the head of a mining enterprise from the Donetsk region – after receiving the third installment.All four suspects have been charged under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code for accepting improper benefits. They now face up to 12 years in prison with asset confiscation. The Ministry of Energy has confirmed Khaylo’s detention and submitted a proposal to the government for his dismissal.This case highlights the ongoing struggle against corruption in Ukraine, particularly in the energy sector. It comes at a critical time when the country is facing significant challenges due to the Russian invasion and Western partners have made fighting corruption a condition for continued support.
Key points
- Deputy Energy Minister Alexander Khaylo and three accomplices were arrested for a $500,000 bribery scheme.
- The scheme involved transferring mining equipment from the war-torn Donetsk region to western Ukraine.
- The case highlights ongoing corruption challenges in Ukraine’s energy sector amid the Russian invasion.
Contradictions👾Some sources refer to the deputy minister as Alexander Khaylo, while others use the name Alexander Kheilo or Alexander Jeilo.
This discrepancy may be due to transliteration differences.
