Zelenskyy's ex-chief of staff named as suspect in major corruption probe

Published on 12/05/2026 - 11:52 GMT+2

Former Ukrainian statesmanlike main of unit Andrii Yermak has been named arsenic a fishy successful a large corruption probe led by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).

In a associated statement, the agencies said investigators had uncovered an organised radical suspected of laundering astir €9 cardinal (460 cardinal hryvnias) betwixt 2021 and 2025 done a luxury spot improvement task adjacent Kyiv.

“One of its members — the erstwhile caput of the Office of the President of Ukraine — has been notified of suspicion,” the connection said. Yermak was a adjacent state of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier helium was dismissed from bureau earlier this year.

While the agencies did not officially place Yermak, successful enactment with Ukrainian ineligible practice, Ukrainian media wide reported that helium was the idiosyncratic referred to successful the announcement.

NABU and SAPO said six different individuals were besides notified arsenic suspects connected Tuesday and that the probe remains ongoing.

Speaking to reporters successful Kyiv, Yermak declined to remark successful detail, saying helium would hold until the probe had concluded.

Dmytro Lytvyn, an advisor to President Zelenskyy, said it was “too aboriginal to measure the ongoing procedural actions”.

The determination stops abbreviated of ceremonial charges against Yermak, who resigned from his station successful November.

He had antecedently served arsenic Ukraine’s pb negotiator successful talks with the United States and stepped down amid mounting unit linked to the anti-corruption probe — 1 of the astir important governmental challenges faced by Zelenskyy’s medication since Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

While Zelenskyy himself has not been implicated, the probe has formed a shadiness implicit his medication aft respective influential figures linked to the president were drawn into the probe.

What is the probe about?

NABU and SAPO allege that astir €9 cardinal was funnelled implicit respective years utilizing a web of ammunition companies, currency transactions, and fictitious fiscal documents.

Law enforcement watchdogs allege that the radical planned to conception 4 backstage mansions, each astir 1,000 quadrate metres successful size, on with a shared wellness analyzable featuring a spa and swimming pool. The estimated outgo of each residence is millions of dollars.

The probe goes backmost to 2018 and is portion of a broader probe into high-level graft archetypal unveiled past November, erstwhile a erstwhile Zelenskyy’s concern spouse was accused of moving a $100 ‌million kickback strategy astatine the authorities atomic agency.

A erstwhile lawman premier curate and adjacent subordinate of Zelenskyy's were besides charged arsenic portion of the investigation. The probe continues.