Yermak steps down as Zelenskyy plans government overhaul
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andriy Yermak (Photo: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Nov. 28 that Andriy Yermak had
submitted his resignation as chief of staff amid U.S. peace talks and a wider
political shake-up.
In his evening address, Zelenskyy said the move comes against the backdrop
of peace plan negotiations with the United States, adding that he wants to
avoid “rumors and speculation.”
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine now needs “internal strength,” and there must
be no distractions from defending the country.
“I want there to be no questions about Ukraine. That’s why we are taking
internal steps today: the Office of the President of Ukraine will be reset.
Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak has submitted his resignation,” he said. “I’m
grateful to Andriy for the fact that Ukraine’s position at the negotiating
table was always presented as it should be. It was always a patriotic position.
But I want to prevent rumors and speculation.”
Zelenskyy said he would hold consultations on Nov. 29 with potential
candidates to replace Yermak.
He also announced that the Ukrainian delegation in upcoming talks with the
United States on the peace initiative would include the chief of the General
Staff, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the secretary of the National
Security and Defense Council, and the intelligence services.
The president said he expected both the Cabinet and parliament to pass
Ukraine’s 2026 budget, as well as to propose candidates for the positions of
justice minister and energy minister. Zelenskyy added that the performance of
current ministers must be evaluated to determine “whether they are meeting the
challenges of this winter and of this war.”
He also instructed Ukraine’s SBU Security Service to analyze the situation
in the law enforcement system and in the regions, citing “a large volume of
negative signals coming from the oblasts.”
“Ukrainians must win. That is the most important thing,” Zelenskyy said at
the end of his address. “Russia desperately wants Ukraine to make mistakes. We
will not make mistakes. Our work continues. Our struggle continues. We have no
right to stop short, no right to retreat or fall into infighting. If we lose
unity, we risk losing everything — ourselves, Ukraine, our future. We must pull
together. We must endure. There is no other choice. There is no other Ukraine.
We are defending Ukraine.”
Searches at Yermak’s home
On the morning of Nov. 28, Ukrainska Pravda reported that
the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption
Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) were conducting searches at Yermak’s residence in
Kyiv’s government district. The outlet published photos showing about 10 NABU
and SAPO officers entering the area.
NABU later confirmed that searches were being carried out at
Yermak’s property. The agency said it would release further details later,
adding that the actions were authorized and part of “an ongoing investigation,”
though it did not specify which one.
Yermak himself confirmed the procedural actions were carried out at his home.
According to
Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller, the searches were part of
Operation Midas — a large-scale investigation into alleged corruption schemes
in Ukraine’s energy sector.
Operation Midas (Mindichgate)
On Nov. 10, NABU announced it had uncovered a criminal
organization that, according to investigators, “systematically received illegal
payments from Energoatom contractors ranging from 10% to 15% of contract
values.”
In the following days, NABU released a series of audio
recordings allegedly featuring individuals involved in these schemes. During
court proceedings, prosecutors identified several suspects:
- Businessman and Kvartal 95 studio co-founder Tymur Mindich
(referred to as “Carlson” in NABU tapes);
- Former Energy Ministry adviser Ihor Myroniuk (“Rocket”);
- Energoatom’s executive security director Dmytro Basov (“Tenor”);
- Four members of a so-called “money legalization back
office”: Oleksandr Zukerman (“Shugarman”), Ihor Fursenko (“Ryoshyk”), Lesia
Ustymenko, and Lyudmyla Zorina.
All were officially served suspicion notices. Mindich and
Zukerman fled Ukraine and are now wanted by authorities.
Former Deputy Prime Minister for National Unity Oleksii
Chernyshov has also been charged with illicit enrichment. Justice Minister
Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, both mentioned in
the recordings, were dismissed.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an MP from the Holos faction, claimed
Yermak appears in the tapes under the alias “Ali Baba.”
NABU Director Semen Kryvonos said he could “neither confirm
nor deny” whether Yermak is part of the Midas investigation. He added that
“Karlson” is considered a co-organizer in the case.
On Nov. 18, Ukrainska Pravda reported that after NABU’s explosive
disclosures, several senior officials close to Zelenskyy advised him to dismiss
Yermak.
Despite the growing scandal — one of Ukraine’s largest in
recent years — Zelenskyy held a meeting with members of his ruling Servant of
the People party on Nov. 20 and, according to reports, signaled that he would
not fire Yermak, even amid calls to do so from some lawmakers.
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