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New tapes from NABU, containing conversations between some of President Volodymyr Zelensky's closest associates, constitute a problematic new development for the government and reveal involvement of his circle in corruption schemes.
The second part of secretly recorded conversations, part of Ukraine's largest anti-corruption investigation, has been published by Ukrainska Pravda, one of the country's leading investigative media outlets. The materials implicate key figures in President Volodymyr Zelensky's inner circle in discussions related to bail payments, defense contracts, luxury properties and public appointments. The publication has also prompted calls for the suspension of the head of national security.
The so-called “New Mindich Tapes,” part of ‘Operation Midas,’ reveal an alleged $100 million bribery scheme run by people close to Zelensky at the state-owned company Energoatom. The recordings include conversations between a fugitive sanctioned businessman and the president’s former aide, now in charge of national security, deepening a scandal that has already led to the dismissal of several officials.
The recordings were made by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) as part of an investigation into high-level corruption in the presidential administration in Bankova. So far, Zelensky has not been directly named in these allegations, but the involvement of his close associates has negatively affected public perception of him.
At the center of the case is Tymur Mindich, who fled Ukraine just hours before a NABU search of his apartment, where large sums of money and luxury items, including a gold toilet, were found. He is currently in Israel, a country that does not extradite its citizens.
In the recorded conversations, Mindich communicates with Serhiy Shefir, a former first aide to the president and early business partner; Rustem Umerov, then defense minister and currently secretary of the National Security Council; and a woman identified only as Natalia. The conversations were conducted in Russian and were recorded in Mindich's apartment in Kiev during the summer of 2025.
Mindich has denied any wrongdoing and has called the case a “media stunt.” His office has not commented on the latest recordings. Umerov’s office, on the other hand, has stated that it does not comment on partial materials of unclear authenticity. In a statement to parliament on April 28, Umerov said that he had provided all relevant explanations to the investigative institutions.
What do the tapes contain?
The recordings include three separate conversations from June and July 2025. In the first, Mindich and Shefir discuss the legal case of former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, specifically how to secure UAH 120 million for his conditional release. They mention an informal mutual fund and individuals nicknamed “Kisel” and “Sova,” who, according to Ukrainska Pravda, may be deputies who passed on income to Shefir.
In the recording, Shefir states that the allocation of funds was done according to an internal agreement between them.
The second conversation between Mindich and Umerov concerns the arms company Fire Point, which produces drones and missiles, including the Flamingo model. The company, which is linked to people close to the president, has received state contracts worth over $1 billion by 2025.
Fire Point has been one of the main beneficiaries of contracts during Umerov's time as minister and also receives international financing through the Danish model. A direct investment by the United Arab Emirates' EDGE Group for a 30% stake values the company at around $2.5 billion .
In the recording, Mindich expresses dissatisfaction with the lack of financing and discusses the sale of part of the shares. Umerov asks if the deal would be in their interest, while a possible reorganization of the management, including new appointments to the government, is also discussed.
The third conversation concerns the construction of luxury properties in the Kozyn area near Kiev. A woman named Natalia mentions the completion of the facades of a project linked to a senior political figure and the division of properties between Mindich and a person identified as “Vova,” a common form of the name Volodymyr.
The scandal's expansion
Operation Midas involved 15 months of investigation, over 70 inspections and around 1,000 hours of recording. NABU describes the scheme as a criminal organisation that controlled Energoatom's procurement and systematically demanded bribes from suppliers.
The investigation began after the Russian invasion of 2022, when wartime procurement abuses were found. The increase in energy tariffs in 2023 increased revenues and opportunities for financial abuse.
Among the suspects is former Energy Minister German Hlushchenko, who was arrested in February 2026 while trying to cross the border. He was charged with participating in a criminal organization and money laundering. Zelenskiy demanded his and other officials' resignation, saying those responsible must face justice.
The president's former spokeswoman, Iuliia Mendel, publicly stated that people close to Zelenskiy had influenced appointments and benefited financially from state-owned enterprises.
Political pressure
Some Ukrainian media outlets suggest that the publication of these materials is related to political pressure following the approval of a 90 billion euro aid package from the EU. According to them, this could affect appointments to judicial institutions.
Media leaks are often seen as part of internal political rivalries. Ukrainska Pravda stressed that the publication was made in the public interest, although full verification of the materials remains limited.
NABU has asked the president to suspend Umerov and intervene in the structure of the Fire Point company to guarantee transparency and sustainable supply to the army.
The NABU and SAPO institutions operate independently and were created with the support of the IMF and the EU to fight corruption.
Last summer, Zelensky faced criticism after attempting to change the law to place these institutions under presidential control, but backed down after public protests.
The events are related to the investigations that were increasingly coming towards his inner circle. Recently, accusations of authoritarian tendencies have increased and a decline in support has been observed in the polls.
Mendel stated that the publication of the recordings is highlighting the way the internal structures of power function, emphasizing that state institutions have been used for private interests by people close to the president./ Adapted from "Pamphlet", by "BNE IntelliNews"
Ukraina tani, ka nevoje per " rindertim"..Sepse Rindertimi vjen pas shkaterrimit! Por, duhen fonde dhe nje plan Marshall per "Rindertim" njesoj si me Shqiperim por me nhe ndryshim thelbesor, ne Shqiperi nuk ndodhi shkaterrimi qe te hartohej Rindertimi... "Fire Point " mund te marrim ne konsiderate, rrezatimin nuklear te Chernobyl. Eshte, History, por.....edhe mund ta riperseritim, duhen fonde per rindertim!