Two national agencies fighting corruption in Ukraine said their search targeted Yermak. Oleksii Tkachuk, a spokesperson for Yermak, said the anti-graft agencies had not served Yermak a notice of suspicion, meaning he was not a suspect in an investigation. Yermak was not told what the searches related to, Tkachuk said.
Yermak, a powerful figure in Ukraine and a key participant in talks with the United States, confirmed the search of his apartment inside the presidential compound in downtown Kyiv, where checkpoints limit public access. Media reports said Yermak’s office was also searched, but investigators declined to comment on that.
Yermak (pictured far right) has been a key representative in talks with the US on ending the war in Ukraine.Credit: AP
It was not clear where Zelenskyy or Yermak were at the time of the morning raid.
“The investigators are facing no obstacles,” Yermak wrote on the messaging app Telegram. He said he was cooperating fully with them and his lawyers were present.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are Ukrainian anti-corruption watchdogs. They are currently leading a major investigation into a $100 million energy sector scandal involving top Ukrainian officials that has dominated domestic headlines in recent weeks. It was not clear if the searches were connected to the case.
The scandal has heaped more problems on Zelensky as he seeks continued Western support for Ukraine’s war effort and tries to ensure continued foreign funding. The European Union, which Ukraine is keen to join, has told Zelensky he must crack down on graft.
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Zelensky faced an unprecedented rebellion from his own lawmakers earlier this month after investigators published details of their energy sector investigation.
Although Yermak was not accused of any wrongdoing, several senior lawmakers in Zelensky’s party said Yermak should take responsibility for the debacle in order to restore public trust. Some said that if Zelensky didn’t fire him, the party could split, threatening the president’s parliamentary majority. But Zelensky defied them.
Zelensky urged Ukrainians to unite and “stop the political games” in light of the US pressure to reach a settlement with Russia.
Yermak met Zelensky over 15 years ago when he was a lawyer venturing into the TV production business and Zelensky was a famous Ukrainian comedian and actor.
He oversaw foreign affairs as part of Zelenskyy’s first presidential team and was promoted to chief of staff in February 2020.
Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on every trip abroad since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Domestically, officials describe Yermak as Zelenskyy’s gatekeeper, and he is widely believed to have chosen several top government appointees.
AP
