Published by TrenBuzz.com | May 12, 2026 | BREAKING
Key Points at a Glance – Zelensky’s Powerful Ex-Right-Hand Man Andriy Yermak Named as Suspect in Ukraine’s $100 Million Corruption
- Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies formally named Andriy Yermak — Zelensky’s former chief of staff and most powerful ally — as a suspect on May 11, 2026.
- Yermak is accused of participating in a criminal group that laundered approximately $10.5 million through a luxury housing development outside Kyiv.
- The case is part of the broader “Operation Midas” — a $100 million kickback and bribery scandal at state nuclear company Energoatom.
- Yermak resigned in November 2025 after anti-graft agencies raided his apartment inside the presidential compound.
- He is the tenth person charged in the probe — alongside former Deputy PM Oleksiy Chernyshov, former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, and others in Zelensky’s inner circle.
- Yermak flatly denies it: he told Radio Liberty he does not own real estate in the development in question.
- He had previously been Kyiv’s lead US-Russia peace negotiator — his removal and now formal charging disrupts Zelensky’s diplomatic team at the worst possible moment.
- Ukraine’s anti-graft committee chair said his November resignation was “better late than never.”
- Zelensky’s office said it’s “too early to comment” — procedural actions still ongoing.
- The charges land just as Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks linked to the Trump-brokered deal are resuming.
For five years, Andriy Yermak was the man behind the man — Ukraine’s most powerful unelected official, Zelensky’s chief enforcer, lead peace negotiator, and gatekeeper to the presidential office. On Monday, he became a criminal suspect.
Ukrainian authorities have named President Volodymyr Zelensky’s powerful former chief of staff as a suspect in a major corruption probe, a move likely to pile pressure on the president’s office at a sensitive moment in the war with Russia. In a statement, Ukraine’s anti-graft agencies said Yermak is suspected of participating in a criminal group that laundered around $10.5 million through an elite housing development outside the capital Kyiv.
Who Is Andriy Yermak — And How Powerful Was He?
Yermak was widely seen as Ukraine’s second most powerful person after Zelensky, wielding outsize influence across much of Ukrainian politics despite holding an unelected position. The former film producer and entertainment lawyer frequently appeared at the president’s side at public events, and had also been Kyiv’s lead negotiator in US-backed peace talks with Russia. His resignation last year came amid a broader government shake-up aimed at restoring trust in the president’s office, which has been shadowed by allegations of centralised power.
What the Probe Alleges — Operation Midas Explained
The corruption inquiry, known as Operation Midas, centers on a $100 million bribery and money-laundering scandal at state nuclear company Energoatom. Yermak is the tenth person to receive charges for the scheme, with others including the former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, former Energy and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, and Timur Mindich, who Reuters has described as being a part of Zelensky’s “inner circle.”
A source in law enforcement familiar with the case confirmed that Yermak had been charged for involvement in the $100 million investigation into the state-run nuclear energy firm Energoatom.
The Timeline — A Resignation That Changed Nothing
In November 2025, Zelensky announced he was “resetting” the presidential office after Yermak’s residence was searched by anti-corruption investigators inside the presidential compound where checkpoints limit public access. Zelensky said Yermak had submitted his resignation and that he would begin consultations to appoint a new chief of staff. “We don’t have a right to retreat or argue between ourselves. If we lose unity, we risk losing everything,” Zelensky said at the time.
The head of Ukraine’s parliamentary anti-corruption committee, Anastasiia Radina, reacted to the original resignation with two words: “Better late than never.”
Yermak’s Denial — And Why the Timing Is So Devastating
Speaking to Ukrainian outlet Radio Liberty, Yermak denied owning real estate in the development but did not comment further. Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies did not name Yermak directly in their statement, in line with Ukrainian law — but local media widely identified him as the suspect.
Yermak’s name did not appear on a list of officials Zelensky named to lead the next round of negotiations with the United States. The delegation will now be jointly led by Andrii Hnatov, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces; Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister; and Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s security council.
The formal charging of Ukraine’s former most powerful official arrives at precisely the moment when Trump’s administration is demanding Ukraine demonstrate anti-corruption progress as a prerequisite for continued US support — and when Zelensky is navigating the most sensitive peace negotiations in four years.
Yermak denies everything. Ukraine’s anti-graft agencies are pressing forward. And in Kyiv’s corridors of power, the question that everyone is asking — what did Zelensky know, and when did he know it — may soon become the defining question of his presidency.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. Under Ukrainian law, anti-corruption agencies are prohibited from publicly naming suspects — Andriy Yermak was identified by multiple local media outlets and international sources, not by the agencies themselves. Yermak has denied the allegations. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. All facts and quotes are sourced from Reuters, RTE, Arab News, PBS NewsHour, Japan Times, Townhall, Free Malaysia Today, and Global Banking & Finance as of May 11–12, 2026. TrenBuzz.com does not make independent legal assessments. Readers are encouraged to follow credible news sources for the latest updates.