Andriy Yermak, once the ever-present chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has resigned in the wake of a sweeping corruption probe that has sent shockwaves through Kyiv’s political establishment. The abrupt departure of one of Ukraine’s most powerful unelected officials comes at a critical juncture, as the country faces relentless military pressure from Russia and navigates fraught international peace negotiations.
Yermak’s resignation on Friday, November 28, 2025, followed an early morning raid by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) at his home in Kyiv, part of a $100 million kickback investigation tied to the country’s vital energy sector. According to the BBC, anti-corruption investigators, working alongside the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), seized laptops and mobile phones from Yermak’s residence, intensifying speculation that had swirled for weeks about his potential involvement in the scandal.
Although Yermak was not named as a suspect and has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, the optics of the raid and his close proximity to the president made his position untenable. In a message to the New York Post on Saturday, Yermak declared, "I'm going to the front and am prepared for any reprisals. I am an honest and decent person." He also stated on Telegram, as reported by NBC News, "There are no obstacles for the investigators. They were given full access to the apartment, my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officers. From my side, there is full cooperation."
The resignation caps a tumultuous period for President Zelensky’s administration. Only days earlier, Kyiv endured an 11-hour Russian air raid that left more than half a million residents without power, underscoring the relentless toll of the ongoing war. At the same time, Ukraine’s political landscape was rocked by the anti-corruption agencies’ findings, which implicated senior officials—including two ministers, a former deputy prime minister, and a business associate of Zelensky—in a sprawling scheme siphoning off public funds from the energy sector.
The scandal’s roots stretch back to July 2025, when Ukraine’s parliament passed a law curtailing the independence of NABU and SAPO, bringing them under the control of the Prosecutor General, an appointee of the president. Zelensky justified the move as a necessary measure to limit Russian interference, but the public and the European Union saw it as a setback for transparency and reform. Mass demonstrations erupted, forcing Zelensky to reverse course by the end of the month and restore the agencies’ autonomy.
By autumn, the newly empowered anti-corruption bodies had released their damning report, igniting public anger at a time when Ukraine’s infrastructure and morale were already under siege. As the BBC noted, "Public anger at these corruption allegations has soared," with many Ukrainians enduring daily power cuts and personal losses due to Russia’s unrelenting assault. Iryna, a Kyiv resident, told the BBC, "We're going through one of the most difficult times in our history. Unfortunately, lots of families will not see their loved ones, their men, brothers or husbands, because of the war."
Yermak, a towering figure in Zelensky’s inner circle, had long been a lightning rod for criticism. Having first met Zelensky in 2011, Yermak transitioned from intellectual property lawyer to campaign confidant, eventually rising to the role of chief of staff after Zelensky’s 2019 presidential victory. His influence extended well beyond the confines of the presidential office: he helped shape foreign policy, orchestrated the removal of political rivals, and was even rumored to have a say in battlefield decisions. As the BBC put it, "Yermak was widely viewed as the second most powerful person in Ukraine."
Despite his formidable presence, Yermak’s popularity outside the administration had been in decline. Critics accused him of wielding excessive power and lacking accountability. According to NBC News, opposition lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko remarked, "The most difficult thing after the searches into Yermak is to find a person who will be surprised by everything that becomes publicly known." Calls for his immediate dismissal mounted as the investigation unfolded.
The timing of Yermak’s resignation could hardly be more precarious. He had just led high-stakes peace negotiations with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Geneva on November 23, 2025, reportedly securing crucial changes to a U.S.-drafted proposal that was initially seen as overly favorable to Moscow. The plan, which had come under intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for Kyiv to endorse, was modified by Ukrainian negotiators to better reflect Ukraine’s interests. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is now set to travel to Moscow for further talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yermak had been adamant that Ukraine would not agree to cede territory for peace. In an interview with The Atlantic, he declared, "Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory." This stance resonated with many Ukrainians and their allies in Europe, who have consistently pushed back against Kremlin demands for territorial concessions.
The Kremlin, for its part, has seized on the scandal. Russian officials have long sought to portray Ukraine’s leadership as corrupt and unstable, and Yermak’s resignation plays into that narrative. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, as cited by NBC News, that the developments were "swaying the political system of this country in all directions," and described the consequences as "very negative" for Ukraine, though he admitted it was "hard to predict" how events would unfold. President Putin, meanwhile, reiterated his hardline position, insisting that fighting would only stop when Ukrainian troops withdrew from contested territories. "If they don’t withdraw, we will achieve this by force," Putin said.
Despite the uncertainty, some observers see a silver lining in the scandal’s aftermath. Olga Rudenko, editor of the Kyiv Independent, told the BBC, "Let's call it what it is: good news. Think about it: a young democracy like Ukraine has independent institutions that are strong enough to investigate the most powerful man in the country – and to do so during the war. People rooting for Ukraine around the world aren't rooting for a place on the map, but for a place living by certain values – and fighting for them. Today we see these values in action. This shows why Ukraine is exactly the country worth supporting."
As Ukraine’s presidential office announced that Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would now lead the delegation to the U.S. for continued peace talks, the nation finds itself at a crossroads. Whether Yermak’s fall signals a long-overdue reboot for Kyiv or ushers in a period of instability remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Ukraine’s fight—for its territory, its values, and its future—is far from over.
