Former Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Halushchenko was detained while trying to cross the Ukrainian-Polish border on the night train from Kyiv to Warsaw.
This is reported by Finway
Details of German Halushchenko’s Detention
According to reports, Halushchenko was removed from train No. 67/68 at the “Yahodyn” border crossing when he attempted to leave for Poland via Kovel. During the document check, border guards discovered a travel ban index triggered in his name. Following this, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) arrived at the point and officially added Halushchenko to the wanted list for detention.
“If it weren’t for the index alert from NABU and SAP, he could have left Ukraine without any issues. Whether he would have returned afterward is an open question.”
At the time of his detention, Halushchenko was held under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine for 72 hours. A preventive measure is expected to be chosen for him soon. It is known that the former minister has three minor children, which gave him formal rights to travel abroad. However, the index alert from NABU and SAP made such travel impossible.
Cases Against Halushchenko and the “Midas Case”
NABU and SAP confirmed that Halushchenko’s detention occurred within the framework of the investigation of the notorious “Midas Case,” which concerns large-scale corruption offenses in the energy sector. According to investigators, priority investigative actions are ongoing in accordance with the law and court sanctions.
Previously, NABU detectives had charged businessman Timur Mindich with creating a criminal organization and laundering money obtained illegally. Following the release of audio recordings that indicated involvement in large-scale embezzlement of funds at the State Enterprise “Energoatom,” the Ukrainian Parliament voted for the dismissal of then-Minister of Justice Halushchenko, who had previously held the position of Minister of Energy. A total of 323 members of parliament voted for his dismissal.