Authorities detained Ukraine’s ex-energy minister on Sunday after pulling him off a train at the border, where he was allegedly attempting to leave the country, a source confirmed to Digital.
The source indicated that Halushchenko’s detention came after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) made requests, signaling an escalation in a corruption investigation sweeping across the political landscape.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source stated, “Halushchenko attempted to flee Ukraine.”
“There was a request from NABU and SAPO regarding him, as well as to obtain information if he attempted to cross the border,” they added.
“This essentially indicates that his attempted border crossing means the president has lost some control in this situation.”
According to the , NABU issued a statement on Sunday about the incident but did not identify Halushchenko by name.
He previously served as the nation’s energy minister under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before stepping down in November.
In a statement, the agency said, “Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case,” alluding to a corruption scandal in the nation’s energy sector.
“Initial investigative actions are underway, conducted in compliance with legal requirements and court sanctions. More details will be provided later,” NABU added.
Operation Midas focuses on allegations of within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy firm.
Investigators state that money designated for critical energy infrastructure, including repairs to the power grid following Russian attacks during wartime, was diverted through contract kickbacks.
Halushchenko was among multiple ministers who stepped down in 2025 after NABU revealed what it called a massive money-laundering operation led by Tymur Mindich, another Zelenskyy ally.
The scandal has also impacted border operations. According to the , border chief Serhiy Deineko was removed from his position in January.
On January 4, Valerii Vavryniuk, the agency’s first deputy, was named acting chief of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), per .
“The previous border chief had also faced corruption allegations,” the source said. “The new acting head of the border service is not personally loyal to Zelenskyy but rather to the institutions.”
The source also noted that because Halushchenko was regarded as an “unofficial but direct subordinate” of Zelenskyy, this recent arrest will create challenges for Ukraine’s leader.
“Halushchenko served as [an] (unofficial but direct) subordinate to Zelenskyy, so if his corruption is proven, it will be difficult to persuade the public that the president was unaware,” they said.
“These corruption investigations are causing Zelenskyy to lose control, which angers him,” the source added.
These developments occur as Zelenskyy continues to navigate
The source depicted intense emotions within Ukraine’s parliament, with Zelenskyy’s “stress increasing” following Herman Halushchenko’s arrest.
“Zelenskyy recently grew angry about parliamentary initiatives that failed to pass, and he yelled at and threatened lawmakers,” the source said.
“This week, he seemed quite emotionally unstable and nearly aggressive when off-camera, so some parliamentarians have observed his stress levels rising repeatedly recently—higher than before the war,” they said.
Digital has contacted Zelenskyy’s office for a statement.