Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, after anti-corruption investigators conducted an unprecedented raid on Yermak’s residence inside Kyiv’s presidential compound. The move marks one of the most significant political upheavals in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and threatens to complicate delicate ongoing peace negotiations with the United States.
The raid, carried out by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP), comes amid a sweeping investigation into a $100 million corruption scandal in Ukraine’s strategic energy sector, a probe that has already led to the resignation of multiple government ministers.
Yermak, regarded for years as Zelenskyy’s closest confidant and political gatekeeper, was also Kyiv’s lead negotiator in talks with Washington and played a central role in shaping Ukraine’s wartime diplomacy. His sudden exit sends shockwaves through the upper echelons of Kyiv’s leadership at a moment when the government faces pressure from allies and domestic critics alike.
A Stunning Political Blow at a Sensitive Moment
The early morning search of Yermak’s presidential apartment — located in a secure area heavily restricted to the public — is being viewed as a major test of Ukraine’s ongoing anti-corruption reforms, a key requirement for EU accession and continued Western financial support.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly address, acknowledged the gravity of the moment.
“To preserve our internal strength, there must be no distractions from the defense of Ukraine,” he said. “Russia is waiting for us to lose unity. We cannot allow that.”
The president confirmed that Yermak had submitted his resignation and that the Office of the President would undergo a full ‘reset.’ Consultations on appointing a new chief of staff will begin Saturday.
In a sign of immediate realignment, Yermak’s name was absent from the new Ukrainian delegation announced for the upcoming negotiations with the United States. The restructured team will now be jointly led by:
Andrii Hnatov – Commander of Ukraine’s Armed Forces
Andrii Sybiha – Minister of Foreign Affairs
Rustem Umerov – Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council
Zelenskyy insisted that despite the political turbulence, negotiations with the U.S. would resume “soon.”
Yermak Denies Wrongdoing, Cooperates Fully
Yermak, 54, a former film producer and copyright lawyer, confirmed the raid in a message on Telegram. He said investigators were “facing no obstacles” and that his lawyers were present throughout the search.
His spokesperson, Oleksii Tkachuk, emphasized that Yermak had not been served a notice of suspicion — meaning he is not officially a suspect. Investigators have not disclosed whether the search is directly tied to the $100 million kickback scheme being probed in the energy sector.
Media outlets reported that Yermak’s office inside the presidential complex was also searched, though NABU declined to comment.
The unfolding scandal centers on allegations involving Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelenskyy who is believed to have orchestrated the corrupt scheme. Mindich has reportedly fled Ukraine, and any future proceedings against him will likely occur in absentia.
Two government ministers have already resigned due to the scandal. Several of Yermak’s former deputies — including Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma — previously left the administration after facing corruption investigations of their own.
Mounting Political Pressure on Zelenskyy
The raid and Yermak’s departure come at a moment of escalating political tension in Kyiv. Zelenskyy, already under intense pressure from Western partners to finalize a peace agreement with Russia, now faces renewed calls for accountability at home.
Mykyta Porturaev, a lawmaker from Zelenskyy’s own party who recently demanded Yermak’s resignation, said the raid deepened Ukraine’s political crisis.
“Of course he had to go,” Porturaev told the Associated Press, pointing to Yermak’s significant political responsibility.
European officials reacted cautiously. Guillaume Mercier, a spokesperson for the European Commission, said Brussels was following the developments closely and viewed the searches as evidence that Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions were functioning.
Anti-corruption campaigners in Ukraine welcomed the move. Anastasiia Radina, head of the parliamentary anti-corruption committee, wrote that Yermak’s resignation was “better late than never.”
A Complicated Road Ahead for Ukraine
Yermak has been a central figure in Ukrainian diplomacy since 2019, shaping Kyiv’s messaging and negotiations with Western partners, particularly the United States. His influence over Zelenskyy was widely considered unmatched, with many analysts viewing him as the second-most powerful man in Ukraine.
In a recent interview with The Atlantic, Yermak insisted that Ukraine would not “give up territory” under any peace deal — a stance that may now come under renewed scrutiny as new negotiators step in.
His resignation leaves Zelenskyy navigating a precarious political landscape:
the need to maintain Western confidence and funding,
mounting domestic dissatisfaction over slow reforms,
and the pressure of ongoing battlefield losses and Russian attacks.
Funeral scenes in Kyiv Friday — for two Ukrainian soldiers killed on the front lines — underscored the human cost of the conflict as political crises play out in the capital.
With the war approaching its fourth year and winter setting in, Ukraine’s leadership crisis arrives at perhaps the worst possible time.
