Andriy Yermak, the former chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and once considered the most powerful figure in the administration after the president, has been named an official suspect in a massive corruption probe. On Wednesday, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine resumed a pre-trial detention hearing for Yermak, who faces allegations of laundering approximately $10.5 million through a luxury real estate development. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have detailed a scheme involving the Dynasty housing cooperative in Kozyn, a high-end village near Kyiv. Authorities allege that these funds were diverted from corrupt operations within the state-owned nuclear energy giant, Energoatom.
The naming of Yermak as a formal suspect follows his resignation in November 2025, a move that came amid a widening investigation into wartime graft. During court proceedings on Tuesday and Wednesday, prosecutors requested that bail be set at roughly $5.4 million as they continue their inquiry into organized criminal activities. Yermak has vehemently denied any involvement in financial crimes, dismissing the charges as politically motivated and legally groundless. Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, the 54-year-old former aide stressed his long career as a lawyer and claimed his personal assets are limited to a single apartment and one vehicle. However, investigative agencies maintain that they have gathered significant evidence linking him to the illicit financing of the Kozyn residential project.
This scandal is part of a broader inquiry known as Operation Midas, which targets systemic corruption in Ukraine’s energy and defense sectors. The investigation has already implicated several other high-ranking officials and businessmen close to President Zelenskyy. Among them is Timur Mindich, a wealthy entrepreneur and former business associate of the president from his entertainment days. Mindich reportedly left Ukraine for Israel as the allegations surfaced. Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov have also been drawn into the probe, with Umerov being questioned as a witness regarding diplomatic peace efforts and associated financial dealings.
The timing of these charges presents a significant challenge for President Zelenskyy, who is currently pushing for Ukraine’s entry into the European Union. Brussels has repeatedly emphasized that curbing endemic corruption is a non-negotiable prerequisite for membership. While Zelenskyy himself has not been accused of any personal wrongdoing, the corruption charges hitting his closest inner circle threaten to undermine Western confidence in Kyiv’s commitment to transparency. This investigation comes at a critical juncture in the war with Russia, now entering its fifth year, where the continued flow of international aid depends heavily on Ukraine’s anti-corruption credibility. Government spokespersons have remained cautious, stating that while the judicial process is independent, it is still too early to draw final conclusions about the impact on the administration’s political future.
