Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency attempted to raid parliament Saturday as part of a sweeping probe into a $100 million energy sector kickback scheme.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) investigators stormed the Verkhovna Rada building in the center of Kyiv as part of the continuing corruption investigation — but were prevented from entering, according to the agency.
“NABU and [the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office], as a result of an undercover operation, exposed an organized criminal group, which included current members of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,” the NABU wrote on X.
“Employees of the State Security Administration are resisting NABU officers during the conduct of investigative actions in the committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,” the NABU added in another post.
The corruption watchdogs did not detail the nature of the investigation, according to the Kyiv Post, but the raid on government offices was allegedly tied to the $100 million kickback scheme involving members tied to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that has rocked the war-torn country.
Five suspects, including Zelensky ally Timur Mindich, co-owner of the television studio that brought the Ukrainian president to fame, as well as the country’s Justice Minister German Galushchenko, were charged on Nov. 12 with alleged money-laundering offenses.
NABU officers also raided the home of Zelensky’s former chief of staff Andriy Yermak on Nov. 28 as part of the investigation. Yermak resigned from his position shortly after his home was turned over.
Yermak has not been charged.
NABU did not announce any arrests stemming from Saturday’s police action.
