In a serious deterioration of Ukraine’s leadership crisis, Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff and closest ally, resigned after Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies searched his apartment.
In the announcement by Zelenskyy in a late-afternoon social media video on Friday, he praised Yermak and emphasized that the focus must remain on defending Ukraine and maintaining US support amid Russian territorial threats. A search for his successor will begin immediately. About 10 investigators entered Kyiv’s government quarter as part of a widening probe into a nuclear energy kickback scandal.
Yermak, a former lawyer and film producer, had risen to a key role in Zelenskyy’s administration, advising on domestic and foreign policy and leading negotiations with the US.
The corruption scandal, linked to Energoatom kickbacks, involved several senior officials, including Zelenskyy’s former business partner Timur Mindich, who fled to Israel shortly before he was due to be questioned. Public outrage has grown, particularly as many Ukrainians endure daily power blackouts caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
The European Commission has claimed that ongoing investigations demonstrated that Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities were functioning effectively.
Andriy Yermak