Minister in Ukraine Arrested for Accepting $500,000 Bribe

Kyiv:

A Ukrainian deputy energy minister accused of accepting a bribe valued at half a million dollars has been apprehended along with three suspected partners, Ukraine’s SBU Security Service revealed on Monday.

The minister, whose name was not disclosed by the SBU, purportedly requested mining industry officials to compensate him in order to relocate equipment from mines in the frontline eastern Donetsk region to a coal basin in western Ukraine.

“The equipment in question is rare and unique, owned by one of the state-controlled coal corporations situated in the most active area of the eastern frontline — Pokrovsk,” the SBU stated.

“In the spring of 2024, representatives from the industry approached the deputy energy minister to secure authorization to move the equipment from the conflict zone and utilize it at mines in a western area,” it included.

“However, the official, whose responsibilities encompassed the maintenance of mining equipment, demanded payment for its relocation,” it remarked.

The minister accepted the payment with the assistance of three suspected partners, all of whom were apprehended “red handed” after the minister had received a portion of the bribe, as per the statement.

The SBU did not reveal the identities of the four individuals accused, sharing images of its officers detaining the suspects with their faces obscured.

Nevertheless, Ukrainian opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak identified the minister as Oleksandr Kheilo, a deputy energy minister.

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers subsequently issued a directive to dismiss Kheilo from his position, as per a government Telegram channel.

Ukraine, which had significant corruption issues even prior to Russia’s 2022 incursion, has committed to enhancing efforts to combat graft as it pursues EU admission and seeks to reassure its Western military supporters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ascended to power on a platform of eradicating corruption, and has terminated several officials, including his defense minister last year, due to corruption scandals in the military.