On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Irina Mudra, the deputy head of his Office. This occurred against the backdrop of a large-scale investigation by anti-corruption agencies into an alleged criminal organization involving high-ranking officials connected to the President's Office. In addition to Mudra, among the suspects are a current member of parliament, a former legislator, as well as the CEO and chairman of the supervisory board of a state bank, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported. The bank executives are reportedly linked to Sense Bank. According to investigators, the group helped launder about 3 million euros (150 million Ukrainian hryvnias) that were deposited as collateral for a figure involved in a corruption case. This concerns Operation "Midas" - an investigation into alleged corruption at "Energoatom," Ukraine's state company for operating nuclear power plants. This investigation has become the largest anti-corruption case during Zelensky's presidency. Thus, the current case is not an isolated incident: it appears to be directly linked to an investigation that already involves former high-ranking state officials and individuals who have long-standing personal and political ties to Zelensky. ## ## From "Midas" to "Forrest Gump" NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) presented Operation "Midas" in November 2025 after more than a year of investigation. Investigators claim that members of the criminal organization effectively controlled "Energoatom" without holding formal positions in the company and received kickbacks of 10–15% of the value of contracts with suppliers in exchange for approving payments. According to NABU, around 85 million euros were laundered through this scheme. Former Minister of Justice and Energy Herman Halushchenko has been charged with money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. NABU stated in February that more than 7.4 million dollars, 2.4 million euros, and 1.3 million Swiss francs linked to the alleged scheme were transferred or given to members of his family. The 3 million euros at the center of the new investigation, dubbed Operation "Forrest Gump," were allegedly deposited as collateral for Halushchenko. According to search warrants obtained by Ukrainian lawmakers, Sense Bank was allegedly used to transfer part of the collateral funds. NABU also released audio recordings in which the deputy head of the President's Office discusses Sense Bank and alleged attempts to influence decisions regarding the bank. In one conversation recorded in June, Mudra states that she was informed of the intention of the bank's CEO and chairman of the supervisory board to meet with her. She also mentions a person named "David" and the head of the parliamentary committee, who, according to her, are trying to provide the bank with political cover. It is unclear whether this refers to David Arakhamia, the head of the parliamentary faction "Servant of the People," which supports Zelensky. "They will not pressure Sense Bank, and Sense Bank must pay them," Mudra says in the recording. In another conversation, the deputy head of the President's Office recounts that she received a call from "Timur," whom she refers to as an "Israeli refugee," asking her to take responsibility for Sense Bank. From the description, it can be inferred that this refers to Timur Mindich, a long-time friend and former business partner of Zelensky, who is considered one of the organizers of the corruption scheme being investigated under Operation "Midas." Mindich was part of Zelensky's inner circle even before he entered politics and is a co-owner of the "Kvartal 95" studio, co-founded by the future president. Being a suspect in the "Midas" case, Mindich left Ukraine in November 2025 and moved to Israel. He is also involved in the Dynasty investigation, in which NABU and SAP allege that more than 8.8 million euros were laundered through an elite residential complex near Kyiv, with part of the funds coming from corruption schemes, including at "Energoatom." However, the most notable figure involved in the Dynasty case has been Andriy Yermak, the former head of the President's Office and one of the most influential people in Ukraine for many years. Yermak led the President's Office from 2020 to 2025, was a close political ally of Zelensky, and played a key role in domestic politics, diplomacy, and decision-making during the war. In May 2026, NABU and SAP announced Yermak as a suspect in a money laundering case within the Dynasty investigation. The court ordered him to be detained with the possibility of bail set at 2.7 million euros, which was subsequently posted. Yermak denies all charges. The same investigation also implicated former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who held several high government positions under Zelensky and is described as a long-time family friend of the president. Other investigations have targeted former employees of the presidential administration. Rostyslav Shurma, who served as the deputy head of the Office and oversaw economic policy, was named a suspect in January in a separate case regarding alleged abuses in the "green" tariff subsidy system for energy. NABU and SAP suspect Shurma, his brother Oleg, and others of embezzling around 2.7 million euros. In February, the brothers were declared wanted, and in April, the court authorized their arrest in absentia. Shurma, who is currently outside Ukraine, claims his innocence. ## ## Too Close to Feel Comfortable All these investigations unfold at a particularly sensitive moment for Ukraine's European aspirations. In June, Kyiv and Brussels began negotiations on the Fundamentals cluster as part of Ukraine's EU accession talks. It covers issues of the rule of law, the judicial system, public procurement, and financial control. In July, negotiations began on the second cluster, dedicated to foreign relations. The European Union emphasizes that success on the Fundamentals cluster will determine the overall pace of Ukraine's accession negotiations, so the independence and effectiveness of the country's anti-corruption institutions have come under particularly close scrutiny. A series of investigations paints an increasingly complicated political picture for Zelensky. His former head of the Office has been declared a suspect. The same goes for former deputies. A long-time friend and former business partner appears in several major cases. Former ministers and other high-ranking officials from his team have also become subjects of investigations. Each of NABU and SAP's investigations generates serious public resonance. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets in 2025 to defend the independence of NABU and SAP after parliament attempted to limit the powers of anti-corruption agencies. Civil society organizations have also insisted on the continuation of investigations into alleged corruption at the highest levels of power. Zelensky himself has not been named as a suspect in any of these cases. For a president who came to power in 2019 with a promise to break away from Ukraine's corrupt political system, the proximity of so many investigations to his inner circle is becoming an increasingly heavy political burden.
