The National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) on Friday, November 28, conducted searches of Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. The website reported the operation of the services in the government district of Kiev Ukrainian Truth.
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Who conducted the searches at Andriy Yermak's?
Since when has Yermak been the head of President Zelensky's office?
Why is he not liked in Washington?
What are the allegations against Andriy Yermak?
Searches at Andriy Yermak's place. The corruption scandal shocked Ukraine
The materials provided by the Ukrainian website show a group of about 10 NABU and SAP employees entering the government district. The intervention began on Friday, November 28, in the morning. NABU, established in 2014, combats corruption at the highest levels of government.
In November, Ukraine was shaken by a corruption scandal in the national energy sector. NABU reported that seven people were suspected in the case and five people were detained. Those involved in the scandal were to systematically collect bribes from contractors of the state-owned operator of nuclear power plants, Enerhoatom, in the amount of 10%. up to 15 percent contract values.
Searches at Andriy Yermak's place. Allegations of corruption have appeared before
Yermak has been the head of President Zelensky's office since February 2020. In addition, he is a member of the Supreme Commander's Headquarters – this is the highest command and authority of the Ukrainian army. Business Insider described him as “the second most powerful person” in Ukraine and “Zelensky's right hand.”
Some even believe that Yermak has more influence in the country than his long-time friend and now president. A trained lawyer, his stature makes him look like he's taking care of him when standing next to Zelensky, writes Business Insider.
Daria Kaleniuk, director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (a non-governmental organization tracking corruption in Ukraine), noted already in 2023 in an interview with the website that Yermak is creating a new oligarchic system around himself. According to her, the politician, through his deputies and ministers who are completely obedient to him, wants to take over power over a significant part of the Ukrainian economy and law enforcement agencies. Yermak denied these accusations.
Andriy Yermak is called the “Green Cardinal”. He is not liked in Washington
In 2023, Politico wrote that in some Kiev circles, Yermak is called the “Green Cardinal”. It's all because of the green khaki outfits in which she poses for photos. A year later, he was among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
Yermak was born in 1971 in Kiev. His mother came from Russia and she met his father during a school trip to Leningrad. In 1995 he graduated from law studies. Over time, he became more and more involved in politics. He met Zelensky in 2011 and later worked on his 2019 presidential campaign.
Politico pointed out that Yermak, who plays an important role in peace negotiations, is not liked in Washington. The interlocutors claim that he has no knowledge of American politics. “He is abrasive and overly demanding of U.S. officials — and generally unable to navigate the inner structures of the Washington establishment on Capitol Hill,” the source said.
