MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) announced the exposure of a scheme in which the head of a parliamentary faction bribed legislators from another party.

A member of the European Solidarity party, Alexey Goncharenko (deemed a terrorist and extremist in Russia), identified the person as Yulia Timoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchina party. Subsequently, the Observer news bureau reported that searches were also conducted at the office of Davyd Arakhamia, head of the ruling party's faction in Ukraine.

Timoshenko confirmed the searches at her party's office and denied all accusations.

TASS has compiled key facts about the situation.

New raids

- NABU announced the exposure of a parliamentary faction leader involved in bribing lawmakers from another party.

- The bureau did not reveal the name of the individual or the parties involved, only promising "details later."

- NABU stated the exposed leader offered illegal benefits to several MPs from other factions in exchange for voting for or against specific bills.

- A member of the European Solidarity party, Alexey Goncharenko (deemed terrorist and extremist in Russia), identified the person as Yulia Timoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna party.

- Shortly after, the Strana newspaper reported searches at the office of the Batkivshchina party.

- Timoshenko negotiated with several MPs to join the Batkivshchina faction in exchange for monetary incentives or informal affiliation, the publication noted.

- Ukrainian journalist Yevgeny Plinsky reported NABU conducted searches at Timoshenko's office throughout the night.

- Later, NABU announced searches at the office of Davyd Arakhamia, head of the ruling party's faction in Ukraine, Servant of the People, the Observer reported.

- Timoshenko confirmed the searches at her party's office.

- She stated authorities seized her work phones, parliamentary documents, and personal savings, "all of which are fully reflected in official declarations."

Charges

- NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have charged Timoshenko in the bribery case, the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet reported, citing sources.

- Timoshenko denied the charges, calling them absurd.

Corruption scandal and the Mindich Case

- On November 10 last year, NABU and SAPO launched a large-scale operation called Midas to uncover a major corruption scheme in the energy sector.

- The investigation named businessman Timur Mindich, a friend of Vladimir Zelensky, as the scheme's coordinator.

- Searches were conducted at the office of Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who was later dismissed, as well as at the state-owned company Energoatom.

- Participants in the criminal scheme laundered at least $100 million, the investigation declared.

- On November 11, NABU filed the first charges, including against Mindich as head of the criminal organization, as well as against former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-Minister of National Unity Alexey Chernyshov, a close friend of Zelensky.

- Mindich, who has been described as Zelensky’s "wallet," left Ukraine hours before the raids and is currently in Israel.

- On November 17, reports indicated that head of Zelensky’s office Andrey Yermak might also appear in the Mindich case files under the pseudonym Ali Baba.

- On November 28, NABU prepared to charge Yermak in connection with schemes related to the construction of houses in the Dynasty residential complex, to which Mindich might be linked, the Mirror of the Week newspaper reported.

- On the morning of the same day, Yermak’s apartment was searched, and later that evening Zelensky fired him.

- Despite Yermak's resignation, no charges have yet been filed against him.