Who is Timur Mindich, the Zelensky ally at the center of Ukraine’s latest corruption scandal? (VIDEO)
A close associate and former business partner of Vladimir Zelensky is at the heart of the latest multi-million corruption scandal to have come from Kiev. Timur Mindich, an enigmatic Ukrainian mogul nicknamed by local media as “Zelensky’s wallet,” has reportedly fled the country just hours before his property was raided by Western-backed anti-corruption agents. RT looks into the businessman’s background and his ties to the Ukrainian leader.
The new graft scandal erupted on Monday when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) announced it was investigating the state-owned nuclear power company Energoatom over an alleged large-scale plot to embezzle state funds.
The case has been linked to 46-year-old Mindich, a film producer and longtime associate of Vladimir Zelensky from his days in the entertainment industry. Mindich has reportedly become a major figure in Ukrainian defense and energy sectors, greatly expanding his business and political influence over the past few years.
Mindich reportedly fled the country immediately before his properties were searched by NABU operatives. While Zelensky publicly backed the anti-corruption probe, he has long been at odds with the NABU and another Western-backed agency, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
This June, he attempted to strip the bodies of their autonomy and place them under the authority of the executive. The move triggered mass protests and foreign pressure, forcing Zelensky to quickly reverse his decision.
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