Ukrainian Authorities Search Zelenskyy Chief of Staff Amid $100M Corruption Probe

Ukrainian anticorruption authorities searched the apartment of President Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, amid a $100 million corruption investigation involving the state nuclear company Energoatom. Yermak confirmed full cooperation, while the probe has already led to ministerial resignations. The investigation comes as Zelenskyy faces pressure over U.S.-proposed peace talks with Russia and has intensified tensions with political opponents.

Anticorruption authorities in Ukraine have conducted a search of the apartment belonging to Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, amid a major corruption investigation that has sent shockwaves through the country and raised concerns among international allies. Yermak, who also heads Kyiv’s negotiating team working on a United States-proposed plan to end the ongoing four-year war with Russia, confirmed on Friday that his apartment was being searched and emphasized that he was fully cooperating with the authorities.

“There are no obstacles for the investigators. They have been given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are present on-site, cooperating with the law enforcement officers. From my side, there is full cooperation,” Yermak said in a social media post.

In a joint statement, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the searches were officially authorized and linked to an ongoing investigation, though they did not disclose further details. Earlier this month, the two agencies launched a sweeping investigation into an alleged $100 million kickback scheme involving Energoatom, the state-run nuclear energy company. The probe implicated several former senior officials as well as a former business partner of Zelenskyy.

Friday’s searches come at a time when Zelenskyy is under growing pressure from the administration of United States President Donald Trump to agree to Washington’s proposed plan to end the war with Russia. Ukraine and its European allies had previously expressed concern that the initial Trump-backed proposal contained elements that Russia actively supported, including demands for Ukraine to cede additional territory and reduce the size of its military. A revised proposal has since been presented, and Kyiv has indicated a willingness to engage in negotiations.

The anticorruption inquiry is likely to exacerbate tensions between Zelenskyy and his political opponents amid these delicate peace negotiations. The European Solidarity opposition party criticized Yermak’s role as the president’s chief negotiator and called for Zelenskyy to engage in “an honest dialogue” with other political parties.

Political analysts have described the searches as a significant blow to Yermak. Viktor Shlinchak, a political analyst at the Kyiv-based Institute for World Politics, referred to the incident as a “Black Friday” for Yermak and suggested that Zelenskyy may soon be forced to replace him as head of the negotiating team.

Yermak, 54, is considered Zelenskyy’s closest ally and one of the most influential figures in Ukraine. However, he is also a divisive figure, accused by critics in Kyiv of centralizing power, controlling access to the president, and sidelining dissenting voices. Before entering politics with Zelenskyy in 2019, Yermak worked with him as a film producer and copyright lawyer during the president’s career as a popular comedian. Some even refer to him as the “vice president” of Ukraine because of his significant influence.

The corruption investigation centers on Energoatom, the state-run nuclear power company responsible for supplying more than half of Ukraine’s electricity. Allegations suggest that around $100 million flowed through a complex scheme that anticorruption investigators have likened to a “laundromat.” Tymur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelenskyy, is believed to have orchestrated the alleged scheme, though he has since fled Ukraine. Any criminal proceedings against him are expected to be conducted in absentia. Two high-ranking ministers have also resigned over the scandal.

Observers note that the current investigation follows earlier attempts by Zelenskyy’s government to bring the Ukrainian anticorruption agencies under the control of his prosecutor-general in July, a move that sparked mass public protests and was ultimately reversed.

The searches and the ongoing corruption inquiry have intensified scrutiny on Yermak and could influence both domestic politics and Ukraine’s approach to critical international negotiations, particularly those seeking a resolution to the war with Russia.