Ukraine’s anti-corruption court has ordered the arrest of Andriy Yermak, the former head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration, in a widening corruption investigation that has reached the closest level yet to the Ukrainian leader’s inner circle.
The court ruled on Thursday that Yermak be detained on money laundering charges, setting bail at 140 million hryvnias ($3.19 million), according to court officials. Yermak, who has denied all allegations, told reporters he does not have the funds required for bail and said he will appeal the decision.
Authorities allege that Yermak was involved in a criminal scheme that laundered approximately $10.5 million through an upscale housing development near Kyiv. Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies named him earlier in the week as a suspect in the ongoing investigation.
Once considered one of the most powerful figures in Ukrainian politics despite holding an unelected position, Yermak served as head of the presidential office and was widely regarded as President Zelenskyy’s closest adviser. He also played a key role in diplomatic negotiations linked to U.S.-backed efforts to end the war with Russia.
Yermak’s arrest marks the most significant development yet in Ukraine’s anti-graft campaign involving senior political figures, though officials have emphasized that President Zelenskyy himself has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
The former aide has vowed to challenge the court’s ruling, stating that his legal team will pursue all available appeals. He also rejected the accusations, describing them as unfounded.
The case comes at a politically sensitive moment for Ukraine, as the country continues to face intensified Russian military attacks. On the same day as the court ruling, Ukraine reported a fresh wave of Russian drone and missile strikes targeting Kyiv and other regions, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more.
In Kyiv, rescuers continued searching through the rubble of a residential building destroyed in the overnight bombardment. Authorities said multiple apartment blocks were hit as Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles in one of its largest coordinated assaults in recent months.
The Kremlin reacted to Yermak’s arrest by calling it an internal “problem” for Ukraine, while Russian officials continued to deny responsibility for civilian casualties, claiming their strikes targeted military infrastructure.
The investigation into Yermak adds to growing scrutiny of Ukraine’s leadership as the war with Russia continues with no clear end in sight.
