The home of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, in Kyiv’s government quarters was raided as part of an escalating anti-corruption investigation on Friday morning.
The probe centers on an alleged $100 million embezzlement scheme in the energy sector, involving kickbacks and undue influence over state-owned enterprises, including the nuclear energy firm Energoatom. The operation was conducted by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
As of the raid, Yermak has not been formally accused of any wrongdoing, though he acknowledged the case’s high profile and expressed full cooperation with investigators in a social media post. “The investigators are facing no obstacles,” Yermak wrote on the messaging app Telegram.
Oleksii Tkachuk, a spokesperson for Yermak, said the anti-corruption agencies had not served Yermak a notice of suspicion, meaning he was not a suspect in an investigation. Tkachuk added that Yermak had not been told what the searches related to.
Some domestic outlets have reported that Yermak’s office was also searched, though this has not yet been verified.
The high-profile raid comes as the Ukrainian government is attempting to work out a U.S.-brokered peace deal to end the conflict with Russia.
Zelensky announced Friday that Yermak had tendered his resignation following the raid, adding that interviews to find a replacement were already underway. In a broader address, Zelensky urged national unity during wartime, warning that internal divisions could jeopardize Ukraine’s future and play into Russia’s hands, emphasizing that “there won’t be any mistakes from our side” and that the fight must continue undeterred.
Anti-corruption units raid home and offices of Zelensky’s chief of staff https://t.co/K9X2tfdIKd pic.twitter.com/f0ieZqAJiv
— New York Post (@nypost) November 28, 2025
The scandal has ensnared other figures close to Zelensky, leading to the the dismissal of Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, both of whom were implicated in the energy sector scheme. Several unnamed suspects have been detained, and Timur Mindich, a former business associate and co-owner of Zelensky’s TV studio Kvartal 95, has reportedly fled the country amid the allegations
Two of Yermak’s former deputies — Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma — left the government in 2024 after watchdogs investigated them for financial wrongdoing. A third deputy, Andrii Smyrnov, was investigated for bribes and other wrongdoing but still works for Yermak, Newsmax reported.
Yermak first met Zelensky 15 years ago while working as a lawyer in the entertainment industry, while Zelensky was working as a popular 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.
Prior to his resignation, he had accompanied the Ukrainian president on every overseas trip since Russia invaded wider Ukraine in 2022. On the domestic front, Yermak has held significant influence in selecting ministers and shaping domestic policy.
