Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have begun searching the apartment of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
One of the two agencies, anti-corruption bureau Nabu, confirmed its investigative searches had been authorized and said more details would be released.
A corruption scandal has engulfed several figures close to Zelensky, although neither he nor his right-hand man, Yermak, have been charged with any crime.
Yermak has played a crucial role in Ukraine’s response to Russia’s large-scale war and is kyiv’s chief negotiator in peace talks with the United States. However, his position has been increasingly threatened by critics demanding his resignation.
Yermak, 54, confirmed on social media that both Nabu and the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sapo) were “carrying out procedural actions in my house” and had full access to his apartment, with their lawyers on site.
“For my part, there is full cooperation.”
The searches come at a very awkward time for Zelensky and his chief of staff, with US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll arriving in kyiv later this week as US President Donald Trump presses ahead with a draft peace plan. American officials will head to Moscow next week.
One of the main sticking points for Ukraine is Russia’s demand that it hand over the territory it still controls in the eastern Donetsk region. “If they do not withdraw, we will achieve it by force of arms,” Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
Yermak underscored his leadership role in the negotiations when he told The Atlantic website hours before news of the searches emerged that “as long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He won’t give up territory.”
However, Putin has been emboldened by minor territorial advances by Russian forces, stating that their offensive “is virtually impossible to contain.” Meanwhile, Zelensky’s own position has been weakened by the domestic corruption scandal, and Russia’s president has long questioned his legitimacy as leader.
In his interview late Thursday, Yermak acknowledged that the pressure on him to resign was “enormous… The case is quite noisy and there needs to be an objective and independent investigation without political influence.”
The corruption scandal has rocked Ukraine this month, with investigators linking several prominent public figures to an alleged $100m (£75m) embezzlement scandal in the energy sector.
The two anti-corruption agencies, Nabu and Sapo, said they had uncovered a wide-ranging scheme to accept bribes and influence state-owned companies, including state nuclear power company Enerhoatom.
Several suspects have already been charged in the scandal that has outraged the public over allegations that money was diverted from key infrastructure projects vital to safeguarding Ukraine’s energy supply.
Russian attacks have severely damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and Ukrainians across the country have had to cope with only a few hours of electricity a day.
Zelensky has already fired two ministers and several suspects have been detained in the scandal. One of the president’s former business partners, Timur Mindich, fled the country.
He was co-owner of the television studio where Zelensky’s acting career took off before he was elected president.
