Ukraine’s former energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, was detained on February 15, 2026 while attempting to leave the country, according to statements from Ukraine’s anti‑corruption authorities. The National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) confirmed that detectives apprehended Halushchenko “while crossing the state border” as part of the sprawling Midas corruption investigation, a case that has gripped Kyiv’s political landscape for months.
Authorities say the detention took place late in the night of February 14–15, when border guards removed Halushchenko from a train after receiving a request from NABU and the Specialized Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor’s Office to notify them if he tried to depart Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda reported that the operation was timed to intercept him at a scheduled crossing point.
In a brief statement shared by NABU on Telegram, investigators said:
“Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives detained the former minister of energy in connection with the ‘Midas’ case. Priority investigative actions are ongoing.”
Under Ukrainian law, suspects can be detained without a judge’s warrant under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and sources cited by The New Voice of Ukraine said this provision was applied in Halushchenko’s case as he was taken into custody and transported to Kyiv for formal questioning and charges.
Halushchenko, who served as energy minister from 2021 until mid‑2025 and briefly as justice minister later that year, has been linked to a large corruption scheme centered on Ukraine’s state nuclear energy company Energoatom. Investigators allege a systematic kickback operation that extracted tens of millions of dollars from energy contracts. Authorities estimate the criminal organization amassed more than $112 million in illicit profits, some of which was allegedly laundered through family‑linked accounts in Switzerland and used for personal expenses, including his children’s education.
Politically, the Midas investigation has had wide repercussions. Searches related to the case began on November 10, 2025, when NABU conducted dozens of raids on properties linked to Halushchenko and prominent businessman Timur Mindich. Several government figures resigned amid the widening scandal, including Halushchenko himself, who stepped down in November 2025 as outrage mounted.
Ukrainian lawmakers have also weighed in on the arrest. Deputy MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said on social media that Halushchenko will now be served with a notice of suspicion as formal charges are prepared. “He tried to flee the country, but failed,” Zheleznyak wrote, underscoring the seriousness with which Kyiv’s anti‑graft agencies are pursuing the case.
