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Yermak is also involved in the corruption scandal and investigators call him "Ali Baba"...
The head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Andriy Yermak, has resigned. The news was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky himself, who stated that Yermak submitted his resignation following checks by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) at his premises earlier today.
" There will be a reorganization of the Office of the President. Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President, has submitted his resignation. I am grateful to Andriy for always presenting Ukraine's position on the path of negotiations exactly as it should have been ," Zelensky said in a statement.
He added that he wanted to avoid rumors and speculation and that he would discuss Yermak's successor tomorrow.
"Regarding the new head of the (President's) Office, tomorrow I will hold consultations with those who can lead this institution ," he added.
Yermak's resignation comes as Ukraine is rocked by the biggest corruption scandal of Zelensky's presidency, involving his allies. Earlier this month, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) indicted eight suspects in a scheme involving state-owned nuclear company Energoatom, naming Timur Mindich, one of Zelensky's closest associates, as its head.
Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk were dismissed on November 19. They have not yet been charged. Mindich fled Ukraine before he was charged. He was sanctioned by Zelensky and put on the wanted list.
The Ukrainska Pravda newspaper reported, citing its sources, that Yermak is also involved in the corruption scandal and investigators call him "Ali Baba."
Ukraine's chief anti-corruption prosecutor, Oleksandr Klymenko, said earlier in November that, according to investigators, " Ali Baba is holding meetings and assigning tasks to law enforcement agencies to ensure that they prosecute NABU detectives and anti-corruption prosecutors."
One of the luxury homes near Kiev, financed through the Energoatom corruption scheme, was intended for Yermaku, a law enforcement source told the Kyiv Independent.
Yermak has not commented on the reports. The President's Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Despite the backlash, Zelensky refused to fire Yermaku. Instead, he appointed him to lead a Ukrainian delegation to talks in Switzerland with the United States on November 23, after President Donald Trump unveiled a controversial peace plan that was heavily tilted in favor of Russia.
Despite continued criticism, Zelensky said he trusted Yermak and rejected claims that the latter wielded excessive power. But increasing international pressure to root out corruption forced Zelensky to 'let go' of his right-winger.
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