Estonia’s Ex-President Says Ukraine Must Arrest Mindich or Risk Its EU Future

Former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves on Thursday urged Ukraine to immediately issue an EU-wide arrest warrant for Timur Mindich, who is accused of embezzling $100 million and fleeing the country to avoid apprehension.

In a post on X, Ilves said that only Ukraine can initiate the warrant and stressed that doing so is essential if Kyiv hopes to maintain its prospects for joining the European Union.

He noted that since 2018, Ukraine has been a member of Eurojust, the EU agency that facilitates the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) system, giving it the authority to launch the process without delay.

Ilves also tagged the EU’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS), in his message while calling for swift action from Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted a National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) decision imposing extensive personal sanctions on Kvartal 95 co-owner Mindich and financier Oleksandr Tsukerman, according to presidential decree No. 843/2025 published on Thursday, Nov. 13.

Earlier this week, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) alleged that Mindich, a Zelensky associate, orchestrated a $100 million kickback scheme involving contracts at Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear operator.

According to NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), senior Energoatom officials demanded illicit commissions of 10-15% from contractors.

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The sanctions list includes measures labeled “indefinitely; three years,” indicating that some restrictions will apply permanently, while others are set for a limited period. The package contains broad economic, legal, and operational prohibitions.

Meanwhile, financier Oleksandr Tsukerman – whom investigators describe as a co-organizer of the energy-sector corruption schemes alongside Mindich – has denied the accusations brought by NABU and SAPO.

Investigators say seven individuals are now suspects, five have been detained, and two - including alleged mastermind Mindich – have fled the country. Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, identified in NABU wiretaps as “Che Guevara,” has been served a notice of suspicion for illicit enrichment.

According to NABU and SAPO, the group laundered $1.2 million and nearly €100,000 in cash, moving money through offices and even a medical clinic tied to the network.

One episode allegedly saw $500,000 passed to Chernyshov’s wife after he became a suspect.

Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk resigned over the scandal at Zelensky’s request on Wednesday.

Earlier that day, Halushchenko had been suspended after recordings suggested he may have helped Mindich launder money. His former adviser, Ihor Myroniuk was ordered held for 60 days or released on Hr.126 million ($3 million) bail.

Mindich, co-owner of Zelensky’s former comedy studio Kvartal 95, fled Ukraine shortly before the allegations surfaced. In court, an anti-corruption prosecutor said Mindich had “orchestrated the scheme.”

The scandal has already forced a shake-up at Energoatom, where the government dissolved the supervisory board after criticism that it allowed corruption to flourish. Former board member, Tymofiy Mylovanov, told Kyiv Post that attempts to push for accountability met resistance, describing management culture as “bureaucratic.”

Sources told Kyiv Post the absence of an independent board enabled a corrupt “back office” that oversaw tenders worth tens of billions of hryvnias.

NABU recordings cited in the investigation indicate Mindich exerted influence over Halushchenko and reveal suspects casually discussing large cash transfers: “How did you carry the box?” one asked. “It had a handle, like a laptop case… I used it to carry $1.6 million.”

Economist Serhiy Fursa and philosopher Viktor Datsko warn the authorities’ slow response risks damaging political legitimacy during wartime: “We cannot allow the Ukrainian authorities to lose the remnants of legitimacy… Otherwise we face the risk of losing the state,” he wrote.

Analysts note that tensions surrounding NABU date back to the “cardboard protests,” when parliament attempted to curb the bureau’s powers – allegedly after the president’s office learned Mindich was under surveillance. The plan failed, allowing NABU to continue its investigation.

The central question now is whether Zelensky will take decisive action against Mindich’s network – or be seen as protecting his allies as Ukraine faces mounting wartime pressure.