Ukraine's energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk resigns
Photo: Svitlana Hrynchuk (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Svitlana Hrynchuk has resigned from her position as Minister of Energy of Ukraine, according to the minister's post on Facebook.
"I have submitted my resignation. The position was never an end in itself for me. I am grateful to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and the members of Parliament for giving me the opportunity to serve the state, which I have done over the past 10 years in various government roles, starting as a senior specialist," she said.
Hrynchuk added that in the course of her professional activities, "there were no violations of the law."
She also addressed rumors about her personal relationships, saying, "Any speculation on this topic is inappropriate. Everything has its limits. In the end, time will put everything in its proper place."
Background
In the first half of November, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) announced they had uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme at the state company Energoatom.
According to investigators, the company was effectively controlled by an organized group whose members demanded kickbacks of 10–15% from contractors. The Anti-Corruption Bureau reported that these funds were laundered through an office in central Kyiv belonging to the family of former MP Andrii Derkach.
In the context of the investigation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that cleansing Energoatom of corruption schemes is a state priority.
On November 11, the company’s supervisory board held a special meeting amid the energy sector scandal. Following this, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced the government’s decision to terminate the powers of the supervisory board members of Energoatom ahead of schedule.
The next morning, Svyrydenko announced the suspension of Herman Halushchenko from his duties as Minister of Justice. Halushchenko himself stated that he was not clinging to the position.
On the same day, Zelenskyy called for the resignations of Halushchenko and Hrynchuk amid the energy scandal.
More details on the NABU investigation can be found in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
