Zelensky's Right-Hand Man Resigns Amid Massive Embezzlement Probe

Photo: BBC

KYIV — In a seismic shift for Ukraine's war-ravaged government, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the resignation of his longtime chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Friday, marking the highest-level upheaval since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to a report in the New York Times, the move comes amid a sprawling $100 million embezzlement scandal that has ensnared Zelensky's inner circle, threatening the stability of his cabinet and the fragile peace talks with the incoming Trump administration.

Yermak, 54, a towering figure who micromanaged Kyiv's political machinery and led Ukraine's negotiating team in U.S. talks, stepped down to "avoid rumors and speculation," Zelensky said in a video address. "I am grateful to Andriy for always representing Ukraine’s position exactly as it should be," the president added, accepting the resignation effective immediately. The departure casts uncertainty over the latest U.S.-Ukraine-Europe diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year conflict.

The scandal, dubbed Operation Midas, stems from a 15-month probe by Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, yielding 1,000 hours of wiretaps. Investigators allege insiders demanded up to 15% kickbacks on contracts from the state-owned nuclear giant Energoatom, including shelters against Russian missiles and drones. While Yermak isn't officially named, his Kyiv home was raided Friday. Linked figures include a former deputy prime minister, Zelensky's ex-business partner, and the ousted energy minister—prompting two cabinet dismissals already.

Opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak, who aided investigators, demanded Yermak's ouster earlier this month, fueling calls for a parliamentary no-confidence vote. Some in Zelensky's Servant of the People party hinted at defecting, risking a cabinet collapse. With elections suspended due to war, a successful vote would force Zelensky to rebuild his team from a weakened perch. Behind closed doors, sources suggest Yermak's exit was a sacrificial play to avert disaster—though its success remains unclear.

Yermak, a media lawyer turned power broker, joined Zelensky's orbit a decade ago and became indispensable post-invasion. The duo hunkered in a Kyiv bunker as Russian forces advanced, with Yermak whispering counsel in global capitals and purging rivals at home. Dubbed a "Machiavellian" hatchet man by outlets like The Kyiv Post, he absorbed blows for Zelensky, from war setbacks to U.S. friction. A March Razumkov Center poll showed Zelensky trusted by 60% of Ukrainians—versus Yermak's mere 17.5%.

U.S. officials—including in the Trump era—urged Yermak's firing for his abrasiveness, yet Zelensky stood firm, once telling Bloomberg: "He does what I tell him.

Western allies long overlooked graft concerns amid Putin's aggression, but tensions peaked in July when Zelensky curbed anti-corruption agencies' independence, sparking protests.

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