The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has suspended Herman Halushchenko from his duties as Minister of Justice, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
She wrote on Telegram that the decision was made during an unscheduled government meeting held this morning.
“Today, an extraordinary meeting of the government was held. We decided to suspend Herman Halushchenko from the duties of Minister of Justice. The duties will be temporarily performed by Liudmyla Suhak,” Svyrydenko said.
Suhak currently serves as Deputy Minister of Justice for European Integration.
Halushchenko later issued a statement acknowledging the decision and saying he supported it.
“I completely agree: a political decision needs to be made first, and only then deal with all the details. I am not holding on to the position and believe that suspension for the duration of the investigation is a civilized and correct step,” Halushchenko wrote.
“I will defend myself legally and prove my position,” he added.
On Monday, Nov. 10, detectives from Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) searched Halushchenko’s home as part of a corruption probe in the energy sector.
Lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak confirmed that NABU also searched the offices of Energoatom, the state nuclear operator where Halushchenko previously worked.
According to Ukrainian media citing sources, the searches are part of a single investigation that also involves businessman Timur Mindich, a former co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio and longtime associate of President Volodymyr Zelensky. Reports say Mindich has since left Ukraine.
NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) previously uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme within Energoatom, where members of an organized criminal group allegedly demanded kickbacks of 10–15% from contractors.
Investigators found that the illicit funds were laundered through an office in central Kyiv, reportedly linked to the family of former lawmaker Andriy Derkach, who was accused of treason, stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship in 2023, and now lives in Russia.
President Zelensky has called the cleansing of Energoatom from corruption one of the state’s top priorities. On Tuesday, the company’s supervisory board held a special meeting amid the scandal, after which the government terminated its powers.
Before entering the Cabinet, Halushchenko held multiple public service positions, including roles in the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Presidential Administration.
He also worked as Executive Director for Legal Support at Energoatom (2013-2014) and later as the company’s Vice President (2020-2021).
Halushchenko was appointed Minister of Energy on April 29, 2021. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in July 2025, he became Minister of Justice under the new government led by Yulia Svyrydenko.