Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff Resigns as Ukraine Expands Corruption Probes

The unprecedented search for the heart of the Ukrainian government comes at a time when Kiev is under intense U.S. pressure to sign a peace deal nearly four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Yermak has been a trusted confidant of Zelenskyy for years, and the Ukrainian leader long resisted pressure to replace him. His departure was a blow for the Ukrainian leader that risked disrupting his negotiating strategy.

Pointing to possible controversies regarding Yermak’s long-term stay, Zelenskyy said that Russia expects Ukraine to take wrong steps and upset the delicate and tense peace negotiations.

“We have no right to retreat or argue among ourselves. If we lose our unity, we risk losing everything, ourselves, Ukraine, our future,” Zelenskyy said. “We must unite, we must hold on. We have no choice. We will not have another Ukraine.”

Yermak’s name was not on the list of officials that Zelenskyy said would form the Ukrainian delegation for the next round of negotiations with the United States.

“To preserve our internal strength, we do not need to be distracted by anything other than the defense of Ukraine. I do not want anyone to question Ukraine, and that is why we have decisions today,” Zelenskyy said.

In his night speech, Zelenskyy announced that he was “resetting” the presidential office. He said Yermak had submitted his resignation and would begin consultations on Saturday to appoint the new chief of staff.

Two national anti-corruption agencies in Ukraine said their searches targeted Yermak. Yermak’s spokesman, Oleksii Tkachuk, said anti-corruption agencies had not reported suspicion to Yermak, meaning he was not a suspect in the investigation. Tkachuk said Yermak was not told what the searches were about.

Yermak, a powerful figure in Ukraine and a key participant in negotiations with the United States, confirmed that his apartment in the presidential building in downtown Kiev, where checkpoints limit public access, was searched. Media reports stated that Yermak’s office was also searched, but investigators declined to comment on this matter.

It was not clear where Zelenskyy or Yermak were at the time of the morning raid.

“Researchers face no obstacles,” Yermak wrote on the messaging app Telegram. He said he was cooperating fully with them and that his lawyers were present.

Energy sector scandal The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs. They are currently leading a major investigation into a $100 million energy industry scandal involving senior Ukrainian officials that has made domestic headlines in recent weeks.

It was unclear whether the searches were linked to the case, and NABU spokesman Anton Tatarnikov declined to comment, citing legal restrictions on releasing details about an ongoing investigation.

European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier told Ukrainian news outlet Radio Svoboda on Friday that they were following the developments closely and that searches showed that Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions were working. He added that the fight against corruption is at the heart of the country’s accession to the European Union.

Investigators suspect Zelenskyy’s onetime business partner, Tymur Mindich, was the mastermind of the plot. Mindich fled the country; Any criminal proceedings against him will likely be conducted in absentia. Two senior ministers resigned due to the scandal.

Two of Yermak’s former aides, Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma, left the government in 2024 after watchdogs launched an investigation against them for financial irregularities. The third deputy, Andrii Smyrnov, was investigated for bribery and other crimes but still works for Yermak.

Political turmoil for Zelenskyy The scandal caused further problems as Zelenskyy sought continued support from the West for Ukraine’s war effort and sought to ensure continued foreign funding. The European Union, which Ukraine wants to join, told Zelenskyy that he must fight corruption.

Zelenskyy faced an unprecedented outcry from his own lawmakers earlier this month after investigators released details of their energy sector probe.

Although Yermak has not been charged with any crime, some senior lawmakers in Zelenskyy’s party have said Yermak should take responsibility for the debacle to restore public trust. Some said that if Zelenskyy did not fire him, the party could split and threaten the president’s parliamentary majority. But Zelenskyy challenged them.

Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to unite and “stop political games” in the face of US pressure to reach an agreement with Russia.

Yermak met Zelenskyy more than 15 years ago when he was a lawyer entering the TV production business and Zelenskyy was a famous Ukrainian comedian and actor.

He oversaw foreign affairs as part of Zelenskyy’s first presidential team and was promoted to chief of staff in February 2020.

Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on all his foreign trips since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and the president’s trust in him has made Yermak’s power seem almost untouchable.

Domestically, officials describe Yermak as Zelenskyy’s caretaker, and he is believed to have chosen all senior government appointees, including prime ministers and ministers.

People linked to Yermak and the Presidency have been under investigation before.