Ukraine suspends justice minister after corruption investigation

(CLO) Ukrainian Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko has been suspended from his post, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on November 12.

“Today, an extraordinary meeting of the Government was convened. We decided to suspend Herman Halushchenko from his post as Minister of Justice. This task will be temporarily taken over by Liudmyla Suhak,” Svyrydenko wrote on Telegram. Liudmyla Suhak is Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Justice for European Integration.

Mr. Halushchenko later acknowledged and supported the decision, emphasizing: “The suspension during the investigation is a civilized and correct step. I will defend myself legally and prove my point.”

Ukrainian Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko. Photo: X/G_Galushchenko

Earlier, on November 10, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) searched Mr. Halushchenko's home as part of an investigation into corruption in the energy sector. The office of Energoatom, where he served as Vice Chairman, was also searched, according to the confirmation of MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

The investigation involves businessman Timur Mindich, former co-owner of the Kvartal 95 film studio and a longtime associate of President Zelenskyy. Investigators say there was a network of corruption within Energoatom, where contractors were asked to return 10-15% of the value of contracts and illegal money was laundered through an office in central Kiev linked to the family of former MP Andriy Derkach.

President Zelenskyy has stressed that eliminating corruption at Energoatom is a top priority. Following the scandal, the government ended the power of the company's supervisory board.

Before becoming Minister of Justice, Mr. Halushchenko held various positions in the public service, including the Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , and the President's Office. He also served as Executive Director of Legal Aid (2013-2014) and Vice President of Energoatom (2020-2021), before being appointed Minister of Energy on April 29, 2021. When former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal resigned in July 2025, Mr. Halushchenko moved to the Ministry of Justice under the new government of Prime Minister Svyrydenko.

Source: https://congluan.vn/ukraine-dinh-chi-bo-truong-tu-phap-sau-khi-bi-dieu-tra-tham-nhung-10317498.html