Kyiv [Ukraine], February 15 (ANI): A former Ukrainian energy minister has been detained by anti-corruption authorities while attempting to leave the country in connection with a major corruption investigation, CNN reported on Sunday, citing officials.

According to Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), detectives 'detained the former minister of energy as part of the Midas case,' a sweeping probe into alleged corruption in Ukraine's energy sector that triggered significant political upheaval last year, CNN reported.

NABU did not publicly name the former minister and said initial investigative actions are ongoing in accordance with the law.

The so-called 'Midas' case centres on allegations of kickbacks involving contractors tasked with protecting critical energy infrastructure. The scandal led to the resignation of both a serving and a former energy minister at the request of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Both individuals have previously denied any wrongdoing, CNN reported.

Investigators allege that approximately USD 100 million was siphoned off through state-owned enterprises, including Energoatom, which operates Ukraine's nuclear power plants. Authorities say payments were made to companies for work aimed at enhancing security at key facilities.

At the height of the probe, NABU conducted searches across dozens of properties as part of the investigation, CNN reported.

Corruption allegations have continued to challenge Ukraine in recent years. Since 2023, NABU has opened multiple investigations into high-profile cases. In January 2024, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced it had uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme involving military weapons procurement, allegedly amounting to nearly USD 40 million.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday (local time) discussed the upcoming trilateral meetings in Geneva with United States envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, stating that Kyiv expects the peace talks to be 'truly productive.'

According to the Russian news agency TASS, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the trilateral meetings between Ukraine, Russia, and the US would be held in Geneva on February 17-18.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also discussed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the impact of Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy resources.

'During the meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio @SecRubio, I briefed him on the situation at the front, Russian strikes, and the impact of attacks on Ukraine's energy system. We discussed how to help Ukraine protect lives during the winter cold and strengthen our resilience. We also had a detailed discussion about the diplomatic process and trilateral meetings. It is crucial that the talks planned in Geneva be productive, and I thank the United States for their constructive approach. We also addressed the matter of sequencing steps. It is important to make progress on the issues of security guarantees and economic recovery. I am grateful to the United States and to every American heart for the substantial support provided to Ukraine,' the Ukrainian President said on X. (ANI)