German Galushchenko

Before entry into politics

Earlier in his career, Halushchenko worked at the Energoatom company. In 2019-2020 he took part in the selection process as candidate for the post of state secretary in the Ministry of Economy, but failed the written test.^[10]

Ministerial role

On April 29, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted to appoint Herman Halushchenko as the Minister of Energy of Ukraine. This decision was supported by 305 MPs - the Servant of the People faction, OPZZh, Batkivshchyna, and the For the Future and Dovira groups.^[11]

On May 13, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Herman Halushchenko to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine by a decree.^[12]

On 17 July 2025 Halushchenko was appointed Minister of Justice of Ukraine, leaving his previous position as head of the Energy Ministry. On his new post he is responsible for the development of proposals in order to bring Ukrainian law in correspondence with the standards of the Council of Europe and international law system in general.^[10]

Teaching activity

Since 2012, he has been teaching private international law at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Associate Professor of Private International Law at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.^[13]

Corruption allegations

As minister, Galushchenko has been accused of non-transparent personnel appointments, corruption, and increasing influence over energy.^{[14][15][16][17]}

On August 12, 2024, NABU officers exposed Galushchenko's deputy, Oleksandr Heilo, in receiving a bribe of 500 thousand US dollars for granting permission to export mining equipment from the frontline area.^[18][19][20]

On November 12, 2025, Galushchenko was suspended as justice minister amid a corruption investigation involving the state nuclear energy firm Energoatom.^[21] He resigned along with energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk later that day.^[22] On 19 November 2025 Galushchenko was officially dismissed as minister by the Verkhovna Rada, with 323 people's deputies voting for his removal.^[3] On 15 February 2026, Galushchenko was arrested attempting to flee the country via a train bound for Warsaw.^[23] He was subsequently charged with money laundering and involvement in a criminal group.^[24]

On February 16, Galushchenko was charged with participating in a criminal organization and laundering proceeds obtained by criminal means. According to the National Anti-Сorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), Galushchenko and his family members became investors in a fictitious investment fund, created to launder the $100 million siphoned out of Ukrainian state nuclear energy company Energoatom.^[25] On the same day, the High Anti-Corruption Court partially upheld Galushchenko's complaint of “unlawful detention” but left him in custody.^[26] The court ordered Galushchenko to be held in custody for 60 days with bail set at UAH 200 million.^[27]