Ukraine court remands ex-Zelensky aide Yermak in corruption probe
Andriy Yermak, who resigned in November following a graft scandal, denies allegations and plans to appeal the Kyiv anti-corruption court’s decision.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption court ordered the arrest of Andriy Yermak, former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, on charges of money laundering. The court ruled on Thursday to place Yermak in pre-trial detention for a period of 60 days, setting bail at 140 million hryvnia, approximately $3.2 million.
Prosecutors allege that Yermak was involved in large-scale money laundering connected to the construction of an elite housing estate outside Kyiv. The former aide, who served as Zelensky’s right-hand man for much of Russia’s invasion, resigned in November after being linked to a multi-million-dollar corruption scandal that impacted the president’s inner circle.
Yermak denied the allegations upon arriving at court, wearing a suit and a badge in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. He stated he had "nothing to hide" and affirmed his intention to remain in Ukraine and fight the charges. He indicated he would appeal the detention order, noting that while he lacked the personal funds for bail, he hoped friends and acquaintances would assist.
Before his resignation, Yermak was widely regarded as the second most powerful figure in Ukraine, tightly controlling access to the president. During Russian aerial attacks, he and Zelensky were reported to have slept metres apart in an underground bunker beneath the presidential office. Yermak described himself as a strong person, citing his presence in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, when many predicted the city would fall.
President Zelensky has not yet commented on the new case against his former closest ally. The ongoing legal proceedings add to the political turbulence surrounding Zelensky’s administration as the war with Russia continues and public scrutiny of government integrity intensifies.
