Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies search home of Zelenskyy’s chief aide

Ukrainian head of presidential administration Andriy Yermak, left, and US Secretary of state Marco Rubio, right, talk to the press as their consultations continue at the US Permanent Mission in Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have said they are conducting searches at the home of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s powerful chief aide and lead negotiator in the latest round of peace talks, Andriy Yermak.

Journalists filmed about 10 investigators entering Kyiv’s government quarter in a widening of the investigation into a nuclear energy kickback scandal allegedly run by an associate of the Ukrainian president who has fled the country.

The national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) said both it and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, Sapo, were “conducting investigative actions at the head of the office of the president of Ukraine”.

Yermak is considered the second most powerful figure in Ukraine after Zelenskyy and runs the president’s office, through which the leader’s political affairs are channeled. In a short statement, Yermak confirmed that searches were ongoing at his home.

“The investigators have no obstacles,” he added in a social media statement. “They were given full access to the apartment, my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officers. From my side, I have full cooperation.” 

The scandal first emerged earlier in November, but after days of damaging revelations, it dropped down the news agenda when Donald Trump unexpectedly released a pro-Russian 28-point peace plan.

But Friday’s developments will thrust the scandal back into the spotlight just as Ukraine had been carefully wooing the White House on a 19-point counterproposal, with Yermak fronting talks in Geneva with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio.

Earlier in November, investigators from Nabu said they had uncovered a high-level criminal scheme at the heart of government. Insiders allegedly received kickbacks of 10-15% from commercial partners of Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear power generator and Ukraine’s most important energy supplier.

Timur Mindich, an old friend and business partner of the Ukrainian president in the Kvartal 95 TV production company, set up by Zelenskyy before he went into politics, was accused of being the organiser. Mindich fled abroad, leaving his apartment in Kyiv’s government district hours before investigators came to arrest him.