MOSCOW, November 29. /TASS/. The US administration is guided by realistic ideas concerning Ukraine, unlike EU countries, which are pushing Kiev to continue the conflict with Russia, former Austrian Foreign Minister, head of the G.O.R.K.I. center at St. Petersburg State University Karin Kneissl said.
"While the US is led by realists, the EU is pushing for a war against Russia. Their idea is that Ukrainian veterans will train European armies....more corruption to come. Never underestimate the irrationality of the wrinkled EU teenagers," she wrote on her Telegram channel.
According to Kneissl, corruption in Ukraine is no news. "Only this time revelations about the many implications of kick back schemes in a sort of government - energy company nexus come at a crucial moment," she noted.
She recalled that Vladimir Zelensky office chief Andrey Yermak, "the eminence grise behind Zelensky," resigned today, as did several ministers last week after the NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) tapes were made public.
"And Zelensky is certainly in trouble. His close friend and powerful advisor was probably in charge of more than daily office work. My logic tells me the much bigger corruption scheme is connected to the billions that had been flowing into the country during the last 4 years, notably from EU and US taxpayers," she added.
Mindich case
On November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), both independent from Zelensky’s office, announced an investigation into a major corruption scheme in the energy sector, dubbed Operation Midas. Searches were conducted at the Energoatom energy company and the residences of entrepreneur Timur Mindich and the now suspended Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who served as the country’s energy minister at the time of the events that are being looked into. The investigation found that participants in the scheme had laundered around $100 million. NABU also started to release recordings of conversations from Mindich’s apartment, which revealed discussions of corrupt practices.
On November 11, along with Mindich, charges in the case were brought against former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of National Unity Alexey Chernyshov, who is also seen as a member of Zelensky’s inner circle. However, Mindich, who some have called Zelensky’s "wallet," left the country a few hours before searches started, and is now in Israel. On November 17, reports indicated that Andrey Yermak might appear in the Mindich case files under the pseudonym Ali Baba.
The profound crisis in the Ukrainian authorities was sparked by the corruption scandal within Zelensky’s inner circle. The parliament’s work was blocked as a number of lawmakers, including those with the ruling Servant of the People party, demanded Yermark’s resignation over possible involvement in corruption schemes. It was reported on Friday that Yermak’s apartment and office had been searched by anti-corruption officers. Later, he confirmed these reports, adding that he was cooperating with the investigators. Still later, Vladimir Zelensky said that Yermak had tendered his resignation and was dismissed.