Ukraine: Zelensky Aide on Brink of Dismissal

By Staff, Agencies

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky may dismiss his powerful chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, as parliament erupts over a massive corruption scandal reportedly tying Yermak to a $100 million kickback scheme in the energy sector, according to multiple media outlets and lawmakers.

Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities alleged earlier this month that Timur Mindich – a former business partner of Zelensky – and several other officials pressured contractors working with the state nuclear operator, Energoatom, to hand over 10-15% of their contract value as kickbacks.

Opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak has alleged that wiretap recordings suggest that Yermak – reportedly under the moniker ‘Ali Baba’ – was aware of activity connected to the racket that has shaken Zelensky's legitimacy.

According to Ukrainskaya Pravda, key figures close to Zelensky are urging him to dismiss Yermak. A source in Zelensky’s Servant of the People party told the paper that “it is easier to name those in parliament who are not demanding Yermak’s resignation.”

Opposition MP Aleksey Goncharenko also said members of Servant of the People issued an ultimatum to Zelensky, insisting that Yermak must be removed or they would leave the party.

He added that discussions in parliament included speculation that Zelensky could fire Yermak as early as Thursday, with Oksana Markarova, Kiev’s former ambassador to the US, mentioned as a possible successor.

Strana.ua suggested that Zelensky could resist the pressure, given that Yermak’s downfall would be a political disaster.

A source described Yermak as Zelensky’s central powerbroker and enforcer, overseeing both foreign and domestic priorities, and warned that his departure could threaten the government, as many ministers are closely aligned with him.

Journalist Oliver Carroll reported that planned discussions in Turkey between Yermak and Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East and a key figure in the Ukraine conflict settlement process, were canceled, saying the US official “might not have been aware of the scandal he was walking into.”