Top Ukrainian ministers submit their resignations as the country is rocked by a corruption scandal

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure cause rolling blackouts ahead of winter, a major embezzlement and kickbacks scandal involving the state-owned nuclear power company has put top officials under scrutiny.

It's fast becoming one of the most significant government crises since Moscow's full-scale invasion, with media reports implicating a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Responding to a public backlash, Zelenskyy called for the dismissal of his justice and energy ministers amid the investigation. They later submitted their resignations, the prime minister said.

Anti-corruption watchdogs — the same agencies Zelenskyy sought to weaken earlier this year— revealed the findings of a 15-month investigation, including 1,000 hours of wiretaps, resulting in the detention of five people, and another seven linked to about $100 million in kickbacks in the energy sector.

Ukrainian officials are scrambling for European funds to manage mounting energy shortages as Moscow targets critical infrastructure and natural gas production to try to sink public morale. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s outnumbered forces are retreating under relentless assaults in the nearly 4-year-old war.

The country has been plagued by corruption since gaining independence, and Zelenskyy was elected on a mandate to eliminate graft. Military procurement scandals led to the ouster of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in 2023.

But the timing of this one couldn't be much worse.

“Internally this scandal will be used to undermine unity and stability within the country. Externally, our enemies will use it as an argument to stop aid to Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy’s party. “It looks really bad in the eyes of our European and American partners. While Russians destroy our power grid and people have to endure blackouts, someone at the top was stealing money during the war.”

One lingering question is how high the corruption goes.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau, known as NABU, refrained from identifying the suspects but said they included a businessman, a former adviser to the energy minister, an executive who oversaw physical protection at state energy company Energoatem, and others responsible for money laundering. It dubbed the scheme “Midas.”

The agency also accused eight people of bribery, abuse of office and possession of disproportionate assets.

The investigation, which NABU said conducted over 70 raids, was welcomed by Zelenskyy, who urged officials to cooperate with it. Energoatom says the inquiry didn't disrupt its operations.

NABU released excerpts of tapes in which the network, using code names and secretive language, discussed blackmail and pressuring Energoatom contractors to extract 10%-15% in kickbacks and bribes in exchange for them to do business without facing internal blocks.

The network took advantage of a regulation enforced during martial law prohibiting contractors from claiming debts in court from companies providing essential services, such as Energoatom, which has annual revenues of about $4,7 billion. Four others worked to launder the money at a Kyiv office.

The tapes, which have not been independently verified by The Associated Press, say about $1.2 million was given to a former deputy prime minister, whom the plotters called “Che Guevara,” after the revolutionary leader.

Amid the scandal, Zelenskyy called for the ouster of Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, who also was a former energy minister, and current Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk.

Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said they submitted their resignations. She also said the cabinet submitted proposals to apply sanctions against Timur Mindich, a close Zelenskyy associate, and businessman Alexander Tsukerman.

“Among other things, this is a matter of trust,” Zelenskyy said in a video on his Telegram channel.

That has raised questions about what the country's highest officials knew of the scheme, especially with war powers concentrated in the president’s office. Zelenskyy tried to curtail Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs last summer but reversed course after widespread protests.

Months later, the watchdogs released their findings.

In the tapes, Mindich, 46, a co-owner of Zelenskyy’s Kvartal 95 media production company, is believed to be speaking under the code name “Karlsson.” Under Zelenskyy, Mindich has gained clout and influence in multiple industries, including lucrative domestic drone production.

NABU has investigated his alleged connection with Fire Point, a drone manufacturer that has risen to prominence by securing government contracts. NABU investigated the company over concerns it misled the government on weapons prices.

“It looks like Zelensky distanced himself from Mindich long ago and when the scandal broke out, Zelensky didn’t start to cover Mindich,” Merezhko said. “But I don’t rule out that someone from his entourage might have succumbed to temptation to make a quick buck.”

The AP gained access to the company’s factory in August. Its executives deny connections to Mindich.

“The key issue here is that the company supposedly affiliated to Mindich is getting government contracts outside the competition, because of the personal relationship to the administration," said Ukrainian investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov, who looked into the businessman's dealings with Fire Point.

After his suspension as justice minister, Halushchenko said in a Facebook post that he would defend himself in court.

“I believe that being suspended for the duration of the investigation is a civilized and proper course of action,” he said. “I will defend myself in the legal domain and prove my position.”

Halushchenko, who was energy minister from 2021 until July when he took over as justice minister, has not been formally charged.

“The silver lining in this story is that we have effective and truly independent anti-corruption bodies which have shown concrete results,” Merezhko said. “As it turns out, no one is above the law and no one is immune.”

Political analyst Oleh Saakian said the scheme involved “millions, tens of millions of dollars,” but he also cautioned that its full scale is not known. While not the largest corruption scandal in Ukraine’s history, he noted it took place during wartime and is connected to “key players” in the government.

In the tapes from NABU, two discussions involved delays to building defensive fortifications for energy sites and waiting for a more profitable alternative before shielding them from Russian attacks. The talk mentioned giving contracts to build defensive protections to a known company, and later to increase kickbacks up to 15%.

An AP investigation this year revealed that despite over a year of warnings from Ukrainian officials about vulnerabilities near nuclear sites, the Energy Ministry failed to act quickly.

Particularly at risk were unprotected switchyards outside the perimeter of Ukraine’s three active nuclear plants — vital for generating power. Lawmakers highlighted this failure in a resolution calling for the removal of Haluschenko as energy minister and criticized him for alleged corruption and poor oversight.

Ukraine’s partners have poured money into its energy sector and are likely to look with consternation on the scandal.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government is concerned by the reports of corruption, noting they involve “a sector that receives considerable support from Germany.”

The spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, pointed to worries voiced in last week’s report by the European Commission and said Ukraine needs to ensure progress in fighting corruption.

“We will now watch developments in this concrete case and, if necessary, consequences will have to be drawn from it,” Kornelius said. But “at the moment we have confidence in the Ukrainian government that it will ensure this be cleared up, and in the anti-corruption authority that it will lay bare this case and it will be brought to a transparent conclusion.”

Follow AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

FILE - Ukraine Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Grynchuk speaks during a plenary session at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Nov. 20, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)

FILE - Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine's energy minister, speaks with the Associated Press during an interview in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands at the sign reading "Kherson" at the approaches to the front line city of Kherson, Southern Ukraine, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In December, Stephen Curry made a conscious effort to smile before he coolly converted two free throws with 12 seconds left that helped seal a 119-116 win against Phoenix.

He seemed calm. He wasn’t — saying so afterward. Sometimes, even Curry’s nerves kick in when the game is on the line, even 17 years into his NBA career and now at 38 years old.

“That’s more mental warfare for me to just enjoy the moment,” Curry said at the time. “I don’t care how many free throws you’ve made, when you need two of them, you do get nervous, so the smile is more to kind of embrace the moment and enjoy it instead of overthinking or worrying about mechanics or anything. So I’ve been doing that a lot lately, like last couple years, just playing mind games with myself and enjoying the moment.”

Other professionals find some comfort in Curry acknowledging his angst and anxieties, being he’s one of the best in basketball and still has to work through things -- even in real time. It's relatively new for athletes to even be talking publicly about nerves, given the more open dialogue in recent years about the importance of mental health and seeking help through various struggles.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose club has won the past two World Series titles, happened to be in the stands at Chase Center to see Curry make those free throws on Dec. 20.

Roberts has witnessed so many of his own players deliver for the Dodgers in crucial moments on the big October playoff stage.

“I think that’s telling that Steph would say that and there is an innate fear in people to fail in big spots or to be nervous. I think it’s just important to admit it at times and then kind of move on from there,” Roberts said this spring. “We were talking about it a couple days ago, those moments I think you mitigate the fear or the nerves from preparedness. I think Steph has shot so many free throws when he’s tired in big spots, so to admit that he’s nervous, he knows at the end of the day that he’s prepared for that spot. Most of our guys, we talk about that a lot, so I think that’s how they can get past that fear or nerve hurdle.”

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan polled his players earlier this season whether they considered a free throw with one second left in a tie game the same as one in the first quarter of a tie game. The answer was a resounding no.

“I said, ‘Why is it different?’ and they explained all the consequences of what would happen, but the reality is it’s still the same exact shot it is in the first quarter or the second quarter,” Donovan said. “And I find that guys in those moments have the ability to block out the consequences or what the ramifications are and really lock in to what they can control and the routine. The basket’s still 15 feet away, it’s still 10 feet high. And just because the circumstances may be different, the routine should be exactly the same.”

When it comes to the nerve factor, mental performance coach Graham Betchart suggests one trick in the moment can somehow transform those fears of failure into something positive instead.

“The biggest surprise to most people is that great pro athletes have the same feeling that a kid has, they just reframe it,” Betchart said. “I remember one of the first pros I worked with, I said, ‘What’s pressure like for you?’ He said, ‘Graham, what you call pressure, I call joy.’ I said, ‘What does joy feel like?’ He said, ‘Joy feels like I’m going to pee in my pants, 10,000 butterflies in my stomach, heart is pounding, self doubt everywhere.’ I said, ‘That’s joy?’ He said, ’Yeah, ‘cause when I feel that I’m about to go do what I love, which is play ball.’ So we call that reframing. I think this is one of the biggest unlocks in the entire world.”

Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks coach who played 19 NBA seasons and was a 10-time All-Star and 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, realizes sometimes fans might forget professional athletes are people, too.

And becoming fearful is a natural response to stress.

“It is healthy. I think that just lets everyone know you’re human. Steph is human,” Kidd said. “There are feelings and emotions but I don’t know if he gets nervous. Free throws are like layups for him, like 2-foot putts. But it’s also great that he is open to sharing that about his feelings, that’s pretty cool.”

Each day, Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton aims to make 10 free throws in a row. That way, when he gets into a game situation he tells himself the same thing: “Whatever happens, happens, you’ve just got to live with the results, but sometimes getting to the free-throw line can help you get into a rhythm and get your shot going, too.”

Coaches have their moments, too. Doc Rivers doesn’t always trust himself to make the right call in crunch time.

“There’s nerves with everything. I can draw up a play as a coach and I know it’s a good play, but I’m nervous if we’re going to run it right or is it going to work. As a player, I was an 80-percent free-throw shooter, but it’s still there. That’s why you breathe deep and that’s where routine comes in. The more you do the routine, the more it becomes normal. But there’s nothing normal in life when you’re shooting a free throw and there’s 20,000 people screaming to make you miss, that’s not normal in life. So you have to breathe your way through it.”

Athletics pitcher Luis Severino spent the first nine years of his major league career in New York between the Yankees and Mets. That brought its own pressure, so the days he felt off on the mound, the nerves were worse.

“I think it’s more of how you’re feeling that day. If Stephen Curry is feeling like he always feels, there’s nothing to worry about,” Severino said, chuckling. “If that day I’m feeling good, I have nothing to worry about. If I’m struggling with command and or a pitch, not commanding my breaking balls, I will get a little bit nervous, but if I’m good that day I have nothing to worry about.”

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames appreciated hearing that Curry, too, fights nerves in crucial moments.

“I think it’s a great thing, I think it’s something that you have to embrace and know that it’s OK to feel it,” Adames said. “I always try to tell myself, ’if you feel a little nervous or a little anxious, just embrace it like it’s OK, it’s OK to feel it. But just know that you’ve got to take a deep breath and try to make sure that you’re under control.”

Betchart believes that pros speaking of their nerves will help others learn ways to better cope. Working with members of the Army who told him they're fearless, he learned they do actually experience fear but embrace that as being part of the job.

“They're not fearless, they feel the fear, and then they lean into it,” he said. “So it's really a power of vulnerability, it's a victory of the vulnerable.”

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FILE - Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, March 10, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

FILE - Athletics pitcher Luis Severino delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in Pittsburgh, Sept. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

FILE - Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on before being ejected during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File)

FILE - Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, waves as manager Dave Roberts waits before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and receiving his ring during a World Series ring ceremony prior to a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry looks down during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, in Dallas, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)