A top Ukrainian official at the heart of peace talks was thrust Friday into the center of a massive corruption scandal, threatening to further weaken President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a crucial moment in negotiations to end Russia’s war.
The home of Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s powerful chief of staff, was searched early Friday by investigators with Ukraine’s National Anticorruption Bureau, the NABU, which is leading the $100 million kickback probe involving the country’s energy sector.
In a post on Facebook early Friday, NABU said that its investigators, along with those from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, SAPO, were “conducting investigative actions” into the president’s chief of staff.
Yermak, a key figure in talks with the United States, confirmed in a statement on Telegram shortly after that corruption investigators were “conducting procedural actions” at his home and that he was fully cooperating.
“There are no obstacles for the investigators,” he said. “They were given full access to the apartment, my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officers. From my side, there is full cooperation.”
There was no immediate comment from Zelenskyy.
It comes after weeks of mounting pressure on Zelenskyy.