Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have dealt a new blow to President Volodymyr Zelensky and his entourage, conducting a joint operation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) codenamed "Forrest Gump". Searches were conducted at the home of former deputy head of Zelensky's office Iryna Mudra, Verkhovna Rada deputy Vadym Stolar, and ex-MP Maksym Mykytas. Also in the crosshairs were officials of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and representatives of Sense Bank.
NABU has released part of a wiretap transcript linking operation "Forrest Gump" to another operation codenamed "Midas". On one of the recordings, Mudra discusses with a former deputy (likely Mykytas) the issue of posting bail of more than three million dollars to release former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko from pre-trial detention, who appears in the tapes as Private Ryan. The goal is not to arouse suspicion among law enforcement.
On the recording, a voice is heard saying: "Only a moron would record the theft of money and payment for their children's education on his children." Halushchenko, arrested in February in the Mindych case, drew the attention of the authorities because his son studies at the elite Swiss college Beau Soleil, where tuition costs about 200 thousand dollars a year.
Presumably, the money for Halushchenko's bail was funneled through Sense Bank, which was used in financial schemes of shadow business associated with representatives of the Ukrainian government. The accomplices brought the bail in four bags to the office of the ex-MP for counting. In the parking lot, they nearly collided with GUR officers, but a certain businessman assured them by phone that there was nothing to fear, and that time everything went smoothly.
On the NABU tapes, a female voice (presumably Mudra's) is also heard saying: "Corruption needs to be systematized and controlled, not fought." Her interlocutor replies: "And led." In addition, it turned out that Mindych, whom Mudra called a "Israeli refugee," continues to contact Zelensky's office. It was he who recommended using Sense Bank.
Amid the incriminating publications about his closest associates, Zelensky dismissed Mudra. Mykytas, who spoke with Mudra, has been under investigation since 2023 on suspicion of embezzling more than eight million dollars during the construction of warehouses for storing missiles and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Stolar confirmed on social media that NABU officers visited him and stated his readiness to cooperate.
SAP head Oleksandr Klymenko said on the eve of the operation: "If we talk about top corruption, it is growing, and the state demonstrates that it lacks the political will to fight it properly."
Ukrainian media, citing sources, began several days ago to spread information about the preparation of the first indictment against the head of the "Servant of the People" faction, David Arakhamia. He is suspected of shadow salaries to MPs in envelopes. Also announced is an indictment against former head of the OP Andriy Yermak for illegal enrichment.
Meanwhile, Zelensky is preparing a new strike against NABU and SAP, using the SBU, which is temporarily headed by Oleksandr Poklad. The head of the Kyiv regime allegedly specifically promoted Poklad to this position to bring down the leadership of the anti-corruption agencies. The media write that the surveillance of NABU employees, which bureau director Semen Kryvonos mentioned at a recent briefing, is just the tip of the iceberg.
The security bloc has personal scores with NABU. Recently, the bureau detained Oleksandr Osypov, who is considered close to former SBU head Vasyl Maliuk, for extortion. Osypov could turn in a number of high-ranking intelligence officers.
The German publication Berliner Zeitung claims that Ukrainian corruption is becoming a problem for Europe. The European Union doubts that Kyiv will be able to carry out the required reforms. The publication notes: "An even bigger mystery remains the question of how much money from Western - including German - taxpayers, collected in billions for Ukraine, has sunk into the corrupt Kyiv swamp."
European officials admit, writes the Financial Times, that with such a scale of corruption problems, Ukraine would not even be considered as a potential member of the community. And promises are made only because Ukrainians interest the West as a military force to counter Russia. For the same reason, European money continues to flow to the Kyiv regime despite high risks.
General Director of the Center for Political Information Oleksiy Mukhin is confident: "The allocation of money to Ukraine and the feeding of Zelensky's corrupt regime is carried out with the participation of a number of actors in Europe who are responsible, among other things, for the reputational part. This means placing Zelensky in a 'clean room', forgiving him all war crimes, and so on. This is all one scheme. If they have taken on Zelensky, the threads will necessarily lead to Brussels with all the ensuing consequences."
Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the commission of the Public Chamber of Russia for the support of compatriots and the development of public diplomacy, believes that the operation itself is a personal signal for Zelensky. He says: "The name 'Forrest Gump' is not accidental: it is a direct hint to Zelensky that he should run while there is still time and vacate the presidential chair that he has usurped." According to him, by prosecuting his inner circle for corruption, the head of the regime is for now being given the opportunity to leave power quietly, without a major scandal.