Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities have raided the home and office of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, in connection with a $100m (£80m) energy sector corruption scandal. The searches were conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) on Tuesday morning.
Yermak, often regarded as Ukraine’s second most powerful official, confirmed the raid on the messaging app Telegram, stating he was “fully cooperating” with investigators. He added that his lawyers were on site and that authorities had been granted full access to his apartment.
The raids come two weeks after NABU and SAPO announced a sweeping investigation into allegations that a group, including Ukrainian government officials, collected bribes from the state nuclear power company Energoatom. The statement from the anti-corruption agencies did not specify the reason for the searches, but they are believed to be linked to this probe.
Yermak has denied any involvement in the scheme, telling German newspaper Welt last week: “People mention me, and sometimes, absolutely without any evidence, they try to accuse me of things I don't even know about.” The scandal has increased pressure on President Zelensky as he seeks continued Western support and vital funding for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.
