NEWSFLASH: Zelenskyy’s Chief of Staff will leave his position

One of the most influential figures in Zelenskyy’s inner circle and the man leading Ukraine’s negotiators in the peace talks, Andrii Yermak, has resigned following a corruption scandal.

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By: Rebecca

Andrii Yermak leaves 10 Downing Street to join a meeting with the Coalition of the Willing in London, United Kingdom on October 24, 2025. (Photo by Ilyas Tayfun Salc / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Just two weeks ago, Yermak’s dismissal seemed impossible. Today, Zelenskyy announced that Yermak submitted his resignation letter after Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies announced searches of Yermak’s home, likely in connection with the latest corruption scandal surrounding the state nuclear energy company, Energoatom.

Andrii Yermak’s post on X, saying: “Today, NABU and SAPO are indeed conducting procedural actions at my home. The investigators are not encountering any obstacles. They have been given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officials. For my part, I am providing full cooperation.”

Andrii Yermak is the controversial head of the President’s Office and one of the most recognizable Ukrainian politicians. His position was typically a symbolic role, which involved organizing presidential participation in international events and media coverage of the president’s activities. Instead, Yermak used his role to become the second-most-powerful person in Ukraine, after Zelenskyy.

After the paywall:

• What role did Yermak play in the government?

• How could he have been involved in the corruption scandal?

• What does his dismissal mean for Ukraine?