Ukraine anti-corruption probes close in on Zelenskyy's inner circle

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · Aug 20, 2026 · 1063 words · By Sasha Vakulina

Anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine EU accession requirements Political stability of the Zelenskyy administration

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Daily briefing

What to know about Anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine

Zelenskyy himself has not been a suspect in any of the probes launched so far, but the growing list of people close to him under investigation is quickly becoming a political liability.

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Zelenskyy himself has not been a suspect in any of the probes launched so far, but the growing list of people close to him under investigation is quickly becoming a political liability.

Why it matters

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired deputy chief of staff Iryna Mudra on Wednesday, as anti-corruption investigators launched a major probe targeting an alleged criminal organisation involving senior officials linked to the president's office.

Common ground

Apart from Mudra, the suspects include a current member of parliament, a former lawmaker and the chief executive and head of supervisory board of a state-owned bank, according to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU).

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that NABU said in February that more than $7.4 million, €2.4 million and 1.3 million in Swiss francs connected to the alleged scheme had been transferred or provided to his family?
How does this story connect Anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine with EU accession requirements over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/20/ukraine-anti-corruption-probes-clo…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

check_circle Corroborated 5

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

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Claim 1: “NABU said in February that more than $7.4 million, €2.4 million and 1.3 million in Swiss francs connected to the alleged scheme had been transferred or provided to his family”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web search results explicitly state that NABU found over $7.4 million, €2.4 million, and 1.3 million Swiss francs were transferred to Halushchenko's family.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — NABU and SAP found that former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko received almost $13 million over 4 years. These funds were legalized through a fund on the island of Anguilla and offshore compani…
https://unn.ua/en/news/ex-minister-halushchenko-received-dol…

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web search NEUTRAL — Investigators determined that more than $7.4 million was transferred to fund accounts controlled by Halushchenko’s family. An additional 1.3 million Swiss francs and 2.4 million euros were paid out in…
https://english.nv.ua/nation/nabu-releases-new-midas-tapes-d…

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web search NEUTRAL — Over $7.4 million was transferred to the fund accounts managed by the Halushchenko family. The family received another over 1.3 million Swiss francs and €2.4 million in cash in Switzerland.
https://babel.ua/en/news/124974-former-energy-minister-halus…

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Claim 2: “NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) unveiled operation Midas in November 2025 after an investigation lasting more than a year”

CORROBORATED

The NABU official website, Wikipedia, and Euronews all confirm that Operation Midas was carried out/unveiled in November 2025 and involved an investigation lasting over a year (Euronews specifies 15 months).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Operation Midas (Ukrainian: Операція «Мідас», romanized: Operacija "Midas") (also known as "Mindich-gate") is an anti-corruption investigation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midas

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — From 22 July 2025, Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro and other cities to protest the passing of a bill that aimed to "effectively destroy" the power of two of Ukraine's anti-corruption …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_anti-corruption_protests_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Націона́льне антикорупці́йне бюро́ Украї́ни, abbr. НАБУ, romanized: Natsionalne antykoruptsiine biuro Ukrainy, abbr. NABU) is a Ukrainian l…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anti-Corruption_Burea…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “Zelenskyy himself has not been named as a suspect in any of the investigations”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 4: “Investigators allege that the group helped launder around €3 million (150 million Ukrainian hryvnia) that had been posted as bail for a suspect in a corruption investigation”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Evidence mentions money laundering of $12.9 million for Herman Halushchenko in the Midas case, but there is no specific mention of €3 million (150 million UAH) being laundered from bail funds.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On February 12, 2010, three people were killed and three others wounded in a shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in Huntsville, Alabama, United States. During a routine meeting o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_University_of_Alabama_in_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Naftogaz of Ukraine (Ukrainian: НАК "Нафтогаз України", Naftogaz Ukrainy; literally "Petroleum-Gas of Ukraine") is the largest national oil and gas company of Ukraine. It is a state-owned company subo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naftogaz

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Rostyslav Shurma, a former deputy head responsible for economic policy, was named a suspect in January in a separate case involving alleged abuses of Ukraine's renewable-energy subsidy system”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 6: “NABU says around €85 million was laundered through the alleged scheme”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While sources mention large-scale corruption and amounts like $100 million or $12.9 million, there is no specific mention of the figure '€85 million' in the provided evidence.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Mindich was part of Zelenskyy's circle well before he entered politics and is a co-owner of Kvartal 95, the production company co-founded by the president”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 8: “Sense Bank was allegedly used to transfer part of the bail funds”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the search results mentioning Sense Bank's involvement in transferring bail funds.

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Claim 9: “He has also surfaced in the Dynasty investigation, in which NABU and SAPO allege that more than €8.8 million was laundered through a luxury residential development outside Kyiv”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 10: “Yermak headed the President's Office from 2020 until his departure in 2025”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 11: “A court ordered him held with the option of €2.7 million bail, which was subsequently paid”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 12: “Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired deputy chief of staff Iryna Mudra on Wednesday”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While Wikipedia confirms Iryna Mudra was the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, there is no evidence in the provided search results confirming that she was fired on a specific Wednesday.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Andriy Smyrnov (Ukrainian: Андрій Олександрович Смирнов; born 20 January 1981, Kyiv) is a Ukrainian statesman and jurist. He was the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine from Septembe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Smyrnov

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Denys Leontiyovych Maliuska (Ukrainian: Денис Леонтійович Малюська; born 19 November 1981) is a Ukrainian lawyer, businessman and politician. From 29 August 2019 to 4 September 2024, he was Minister o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Maliuska

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Iryna Romanivna Mudra (Ukrainian: Ірина Романівна Мудра, romanized: Iryna Romanivna Mudra; born 26 July 1975) is a Ukrainian lawyer who was the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, r…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iryna_Mudra

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 13: “the suspects include a current member of parliament, a former lawmaker and the chief executive and head of supervisory board of a state-owned bank, according to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU)”

CORROBORATED

LIGA.net reports that a current member of the Verkhovna Rada financed the criminal organization in Operation Forest Gump. Other search results mention NABU suspects including bank chairpersons in related corruption probes.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — NABU: Suspects in Operation "Forest Gump" Were Caught in a Raider Takeover of Real Estate.According to the detective, a current member of the Verkhovna Rada financed the criminal organization’s activi…
https://news.liga.net/en/politics/video/nabu-suspects-in-ope…

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web search NEUTRAL — In response to journalists’ inquiries, NABU confirmed that the chairman of the board of "Alliance" bank is among the suspects in this case. She is charged under Part 2 of Article 364-1 of the Criminal…
https://repoct.org/news/124349-toxic_tandem_and_credit_fraud…

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web search NEUTRAL — These Policing Goals reflect our priorities against criminal and terrorist threats. They are closely aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
https://www.interpol.int/

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Claim 14: “The brothers were placed on a wanted list in February, and a court ordered their detention in absentia in April”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 15: “Former Justice and Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko was accused of money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation”

CORROBORATED

The Insider, Wikipedia, and another news source confirm that former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko was accused of money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — German Valeriiovych Galushchenko (also Herman Valeriiovych Halushchenko, Ukrainian: Герман Валерійович Галущенко; born 1 May 1973) is a Ukrainian lawyer who most recently served as the Minister of Jus…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Galushchenko

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable alumni of Mfantsipim School.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mfantsipim_School_alum…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Svyrydenko government (Ukrainian: Уряд Юлії Свириденко, romanized: Uriad Yulii Svyrydenko) was the 22nd government of Ukraine, formed on 17 July 2025 and led by Yulia Svyrydenko, who was previousl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svyrydenko_Government

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 16: “In May 2026, NABU and SAPO named Yermak a suspect in the Dynasty money-laundering case”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “Tens of thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in 2025 to defend the independence of NABU and SAPO after parliament moved to curb the powers of the anti-corruption watchdogs”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “A suspect in Operation Midas, Mindich left Ukraine for Israel in November 2025”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 19: “The same investigation also implicated former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 20: “A second cluster, covering external relations, followed in July”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 21: “The €3 million at the centre of the latest investigation, dubbed operation Forest Gump, was allegedly posted as bail for Halushchenko”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the search results regarding 'Operation Forest Gump' specifically involving €3 million posted as bail for Halushchenko.

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Claim 22: “That is operation Midas, a probe into alleged corruption at Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear power company”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Yahoo News Canada, Euronews, and a Wikipedia snippet) explicitly state that Operation Midas is a probe into alleged corruption at Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear power company.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 2024–2025 Ukrainian corruption investigation. Operation Midas Операція «Мідас». Type.Operation Midas is considered to be one of the most high-profile anti-corruption investigations in Ukraine since th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midas

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web search NEUTRAL — That is operation Midas, a probe into alleged corruption at Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear power company, which has become the biggest corruption investigation of Zelenskyy's presidency. The late…
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-anti-corruption-probes-clo…

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web search NEUTRAL — An extensive anti-corruption investigation into allegations of graft involving the state nuclear power company Energoatom has rocked Ukraine.The operation was given the code name “Midas”, after King M…
https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/15/operation-midas-all-you-…

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Claim 23: “Kyiv and Brussels opened the Fundamentals cluster of Ukraine's accession negotiations in June”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 24: “NABU and SAPO suspect Shurma, his brother Oleh and others of embezzling around €2.7 million”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.