January 16, 2026
Senior Russian nuclear official arrested on charges of financing Ukrainian military
Russian authorities have arrested a senior Rosatom executive on charges of financing the Ukrainian military. On Friday, federal agents detained Mikhail Shcherbak, the director of capital construction at Atomstroyexport, which manages Rosatom’s nuclear engineering division. Shcherbak has worked in the Russian nuclear construction sector for nearly two decades, participating in projects in Belarus and Iran, according to the independent outlet Agentstvo.
TL;DR
- Mikhail Shcherbak, director of capital construction at Atomstroyexport, arrested on charges of financing the Ukrainian military.
- Atomstroyexport manages Rosatom's nuclear engineering division and oversees construction of nuclear power plants globally.
- Shcherbak has nearly two decades of experience in the nuclear construction sector, including projects in Belarus and Iran.
- Rosatom confirmed the arrest and its cooperation with investigators.
- Atomstroyexport is involved in constructing nuclear power plants in India, Turkey, and Iran.
- Shcherbak's past work includes facilitating the expansion of the Bushehr plant in Iran and managing financing for the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant in Belarus.
- He has also visited Abkhazia to oversee the construction of a medical center and educational facilities.