In a significant development for Ukraine's wartime administration, anti-corruption investigators have conducted raids on the home and office of President Volodymyr Zelensky's most powerful aide.
Raids Target Presidential Inner Circle
Andrii Yermak, widely regarded as Ukraine's second most powerful figure and President Zelensky's chief of staff, has become the subject of searches by the country's anti-corruption agencies. The operation represents a substantial blow to Kyiv's leadership as it continues to defend against Russia's invasion.
The raids occurred on the morning of November 28, 2025, targeting Mr Yermak's apartment within the presidential compound in central Kyiv. At the time of writing, it remains unclear where President Zelensky was during the operation.
Investigation Details and Response
Two national agencies leading Ukraine's fight against entrenched corruption - the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office - confirmed conducting searches related to Mr Yermak.
However, Oleksii Tkachuk, a spokesman for Mr Yermak, emphasised that investigators had not served the chief of staff with a notice of suspicion, meaning he is not currently considered a suspect in any investigation. Mr Tkachuk added that Mr Yermak had not been informed what the searches specifically related to.
The former lawyer stated: "The investigators are facing no obstacles. I am co-operating fully with them and my lawyers are present."
Broader Political Implications
This development creates an unwelcome distraction for Ukrainian officials during a critical period. Ukrainian forces are currently battling to prevent Russian advances on key towns including Povrovsk and other frontline targets.
The investigation connects to a wider £75 million energy sector corruption scandal involving top Ukrainian officials. Investigators suspect Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of President Zelensky, of masterminding the scheme. Mindich has fled the country, with any proceedings likely to occur in absentia.
The scandal has already prompted the resignation of two government ministers and implicated several of Mr Yermak's former deputies. Two deputies - Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma - left government in 2024 after watchdog investigations into financial wrongdoing. A third deputy, Andrii Smyrnov, was investigated for bribery but remains in his position.
One source suggested the raids could result from a "deception operation to muddy Kyiv's administration in the eyes of the US," while alternatively representing "an attempt by the Ukraine government to wipe out suspicion of Yermak so they can deal with any accusations head on and clear him."
The situation compounds pressure on President Zelensky, who faces demands from the European Union to crack down on corruption as Ukraine seeks membership. Earlier this month, Zelensky confronted an unprecedented rebellion within his own party, with several senior legislators arguing that Mr Yermak should take responsibility for the energy sector debacle to restore public trust.
Some warned that if Zelensky didn't dismiss his chief of staff, the party could split, threatening the president's parliamentary majority. Instead, Zelensky defied them, urging Ukrainians to "stop the political games."
Mr Yermak's relationship with President Zelensky spans more than fifteen years, beginning when Yermak worked as a lawyer entering television production and Zelensky was a celebrated actor. Appointed to oversee foreign affairs in Zelensky's first presidential team, Yermak ascended to chief of staff in February 2020.
Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, Yermak has accompanied Zelensky on every foreign trip, establishing himself as an apparently untouchable figure domestically, where he functions as the president's gatekeeper and is believed to have selected all top government appointments.
