Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s influential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned Friday only hours after anti-corruption agents searched his home, deepening a political crisis triggered by a high-level graft investigation.
Zelenskyy confirmed the resignation in a late-night video address and said he would decide on a replacement on Saturday. Yermak’s departure follows a widening probe that has fueled public anger and put fresh scrutiny on the government’s anti-graft credentials.
“Russia very much wants Ukraine to make mistakes,” Zelenskyy said. “There will be no mistakes on our part. Our work continues.”
Yermak, 54, has long been one of the president’s closest confidants, dating back to Zelenskyy’s career in television and his 2019 outsider campaign for the presidency. He has played a central role in U.S.-backed negotiations aimed at securing a peace deal with Russia.
Though not named as a suspect, Yermak had faced growing calls for his removal from opposition lawmakers and some members of Zelenskyy’s own party after investigators searched his apartment Friday. He confirmed the search and said he was cooperating fully.
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said the operation was legally authorized and tied to an ongoing investigation. Earlier this month, the agencies unveiled a major probe into an alleged $100 million kickback scheme at the state atomic energy company, involving former senior officials and a onetime business associate of Zelenskyy.
The opposition European Solidarity party demanded Yermak’s dismissal and his removal from the negotiating team, arguing that Ukraine’s pursuit of peace “cannot depend on the vulnerabilities and tarnished reputation of politicians involved in a corruption scandal.”
The political turmoil unfolds as Russian forces push forward along several sections of the front line. Moscow claims its troops are closing in on Pokrovsk, which would mark their largest territorial gain in nearly two years.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said a leaked 28-point U.S. peace proposal could serve as “a basis for future agreements,” but insisted Kyiv must pull back from eastern regions it still controls before Moscow halts military operations. Yermak, speaking to The Atlantic earlier in the week, rejected the idea outright: “No one should count on us giving up territory.”
Curbing corruption remains central to Ukraine’s bid for European Union membership — a priority for Zelenskyy’s government as it seeks to distance the country from Moscow’s influence. The European Commission said it was monitoring developments “closely.”
Ukraine’s anti-graft bodies, strengthened in recent years, have expanded their activities during the war despite facing pressure from entrenched interests. Zelenskyy briefly weakened their independence last year before reversing course amid public backlash and criticism from Western partners.
