Scott Simon

Journalist Willem Marx in London, thanks so much for being with us.

There are widespread blackouts in Ukraine as Russia strikes the country's energy system and its capital, Kyiv.

Kyiv and the Ukrainian energy sector are also dealing with what could be the most harmful corruption probe in the five years Volodymyr Zelensky has been president.

Ukraine's independent anti-corruption agencies say that associates close to Zelensky plotted to skim some $100 billion from the country's nuclear energy producer.

And Paris, Joanna Kakissas joins us now from Kyiv.

Joanna, thanks for being with us.

Thanks for having me on the show, Scott.

And please tell us what's going on in this investigation.

So, Scott, this investigation was conducted by two agencies that monitor the Ukrainian state for graft.

They're the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.

And this probe is extensive.

It took 15 months, used about 1,000 hours of wiretaps.

There were seven alleged participants, including Timur Mindich.

He's a close business associate of Zelensky's.

Investigators say this group manipulated contracts at Enerhoatom, which is Ukraine's state nuclear energy company, and they got kickbacks, laundering roughly $100 million, like you mentioned earlier.

The scandal has forced the resignation of two ministers in Zelensky's government so far, but Zelensky has not been implicated in this probe, and he is calling for the prosecution of those accused of committing crimes.

And Joanna, what do you hear from Ukrainians?

Well, Scott, we've spoken to several Ukrainians in Kyiv about this corruption probe, and they are enraged, for lack of a better word.

Aleksandra Pokidko, she's 28 and works in marketing, and she told us this scandal is especially galling as Ukraine struggles to protect its power plants from constant Russian attacks.

It's very upsetting when Ukrainians, for example,