Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday announced the resignation of his influential chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, only hours after anti-corruption investigators searched Yermak’s residence in Kyiv. The development marks one of the most dramatic internal shake-ups in Ukraine’s leadership since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly four years ago.
Yermak has been one of Zelenskyy’s closest and most powerful aides, serving as the president’s chief negotiator in talks with both Russia and the United States. Considered Zelenskyy’s most trusted confidante, he has long been regarded as the central figure through whom all major political decisions in Kyiv flow.
The searches — carried out inside the presidential compound in central Kyiv — took place under unprecedented media attention and at a politically sensitive moment, with the United States pressuring Ukraine to move toward a peace framework. Yermak confirmed that investigators searched his apartment and said he was cooperating fully, with his lawyers present. Although media outlets reported that his office was also searched, officials declined to comment.
Two major anti-corruption bodies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office — announced they were leading the operation. However, neither agency issued a notice of suspicion against Yermak, and his spokesperson said he had not been informed of the grounds for the search.
The backdrop to the raids is a sweeping $100-million corruption investigation in Ukraine’s energy sector that has dominated national headlines. Several senior figures have already resigned because of the scandal, and investigators believe that the alleged mastermind, Tymur Mindich — once a business partner of Zelenskyy — has fled abroad and will likely be prosecuted in absentia. It remains unclear whether the search of Yermak’s residence is linked to this investigation.
The European Union has been monitoring the case closely. A spokesperson for the European Commission said the searches showed Ukraine’s anti-corruption mechanisms were functioning, while stressing that cracking down on graft remains essential for Ukraine’s bid to join the EU.
The scandal comes at a time of deep political strain in Kyiv. Zelenskyy has been working to secure continued Western assistance for Ukraine’s war effort and has faced mounting pressure from both international partners and domestic legislators. Earlier this month, several lawmakers from his own party openly challenged him after investigators released details of the energy probe. Many demanded that Yermak take responsibility to restore public confidence, warning that the governing party could split if Zelenskyy refused to remove him. Zelenskyy rejected those demands and urged an end to “political games,” arguing that national unity was critical while the US pushes Ukraine toward a negotiated settlement with Russia.
Yermak’s resignation nevertheless marks the fall of one of the most powerful figures of the Zelenskyy era. He first met Zelenskyy more than 15 years ago, when Yermak was a lawyer moving into television production, and Zelenskyy was at the height of his entertainment career. After Zelenskyy became president, Yermak was placed in charge of foreign affairs and quickly emerged as the president’s closest adviser before being promoted to chief of staff in February 2020.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on every international trip and has been widely regarded as the gatekeeper to the president. Numerous government appointments, including prime ministers and cabinet ministers, have reportedly gone through him. Several officials linked to Yermak and the presidential administration have been investigated in recent years, but none of those inquiries previously threatened his position.
His resignation now adds a new layer of political volatility for Ukraine at a moment when the government faces military, diplomatic, and economic pressures simultaneously.
