Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Friday that they are conducting sanctioned searches at the residence and offices of Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s influential chief of staff. The raids mark an unprecedented escalation in the ongoing investigation into systemic corruption within the highest echelons of the Ukrainian government at a time when the country is battling both Russian military aggression and severe domestic energy crises.

The operation follows the exposure earlier this month of a $100-million kickback scheme involving senior officials in Ukraine’s strategic energy sector. The scandal has ignited public outrage as Russian strikes continue to destroy power infrastructure, plunging millions into darkness and raising fears of a catastrophic winter without adequate heating. The timing of the searches has intensified scrutiny on the presidential administration’s oversight of critical wartime procurement and resource allocation.

While authorities have not publicly disclosed the precise allegations against Yermak, the move underscores the growing pressure on President Zelensky to demonstrate zero tolerance for graft even among his closest circle. Yermak, widely regarded as the second most powerful figure in Ukraine, has long faced accusations from political opponents of monopolising access to the president, marginalising dissenting voices, and centralising decision-making authority far beyond the traditional scope of a chief of staff.

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In response to the raids, Yermak issued a statement asserting full cooperation with investigators, confirming that law enforcement officers had been granted unrestricted access to his apartment and that his legal team was present throughout the process. The statement sought to project transparency and calm amid what has rapidly become one of the most serious corruption controversies to directly touch Zelensky’s inner circle since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022.

The searches come at a particularly delicate moment, as Yermak has been personally entrusted by Zelensky to lead sensitive negotiations with the United States regarding President Donald Trump’s controversial 28-point peace proposal, which Kyiv believes tilts heavily in Moscow’s favour. With anti-corruption agencies now targeting the president’s closest aide, questions are mounting over whether the scandal could undermine Ukraine’s credibility with Western partners at a pivotal juncture in both the war and its quest for continued international support.

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