Zelensky’s Top Aide Yermak Resigns After Corruption Raids

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has resigned following a raid on his home by the country’s anti-corruption authorities.

“The Office of the President of Ukraine will be reorganized. The head of the office, Andriy Yermak, has submitted his resignation,” Zelensky said in a video address, adding that consultations on a replacement would begin Saturday.

Yermak’s resignation marked an escalation in a sweeping graft scandal at a critical time for Ukraine.

The raid, carried out by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), is linked to an ongoing investigation into a $100-million kickback scheme in Ukraine’s energy sector.

Investigators have said the scheme operated as Russia stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, causing blackouts and threatening winter heating supplies.

Opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said Yermak was mentioned in wiretap recordings released by anti-corruption agencies in the energy probe, where he was reportedly referred to as “Ali Baba,” a nickname derived from his initials. However, anti-graft agency sources told Ukrainska Pravda that “Ali Baba” was not Yermak’s codename in the recording

Yermak confirmed he was cooperating fully with investigators. “There are no obstacles for the investigators. They have been given full access… and my lawyers are present on-site,” he said on social media.

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Investigators have not filed any charges against him following the raids.

A former film producer and copyright lawyer, Yermak has been Zelensky’s closest aide since 2019, often called the president’s gatekeeper and second-most powerful figure in Ukraine.

He also served as Ukraine’s lead negotiator with the US on a peace plan favoring Kyiv, a role which could now be compromised.

Zelensky stressed that Ukraine must maintain unity and focus amid the war.

“Russia very much wants Ukraine to make mistakes. From our side, there will be no mistakes. Our work continues. Our fight continues. We have no right not to push forward, to retreat, or to quarrel. If we lose unity – we risk losing everything: ourselves, Ukraine, our future,” he said.

A March 2025 poll by the Razumkov Centre found that two-thirds of Ukrainians do not trust Yermak. Despite public distrust, he has remained a stalwart by Zelensky’s side throughout the war, sharing downtime in the presidential bunker and appearing at nearly all official events.