Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday ordered sanctions against a former business associate implicated in a major corruption scandal that has stirred public anger in a nation worn down by almost four years of war.
The move came just a day after Zelenskyy asked two ministers to resign, a step seen as part of efforts to distance himself from allies accused of involvement in a widespread money-laundering scheme.
According to anti-graft authorities, the scheme siphoned off about $100 million from Ukraine’s energy sector, which has suffered repeated Russian strikes that have caused severe power outages across the country.
Investigators identified 46-year-old businessman Timur Mindich — widely believed to have close ties to the president — as the mastermind behind the operation.
