MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky is personally implicated in Ukraine’s corruption scandal, Vasily Prozorov, a former officer in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), said in an interview with TASS.
"It cannot be that schemes involving strategic sectors of the economy, including the energy sector, were unknown to the top leader. Of course, I am sure he did not personally give any commands. But even judging by his acquisitions abroad, his investments in both real estate and land, we can say that Zelensky is now a billionaire. Earning money honestly in Ukraine is simply unrealistic," he said.
On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) carried out a large-scale operation to uncover a major corruption scheme in the energy sector. Timur Mindich, a businessman and Zelensky’s friend, turned out to be at the top of the scheme. He left Ukraine for Israel a few hours before his office and apartment were searched. Charges were also brought against former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Minister of National Unity Alexey Chernyshov, who is part of Zelensky’s inner circle. There was information that Yermak could also appear in the case file and that he carried pseudonym Ali Baba in the corruption scheme.
The disclosure of corruption in Zelensky’s inner circle provoked an active reaction in the Verkhovna Rada. The parties of former President Pyotr Poroshenko (listed by Rosfinmonitoring as involved in extremist activities or terrorism), European Solidarity and Golos, demanded Yermak’s dismissal, resignation of the government and formation of a coalition in parliament with the participation of not only the ruling Servant of the People party. Later, the party of former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko joined the demands. Also, information appeared about an impending revolt within Zelensky’s party, some of whose deputies also spoke about the need for Yermak’s resignation and a change of the entire government.