Andriy Yermak, the influential former chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has announced he will head to the frontline after being dismissed amid a major corruption scandal involving Ukraine’s energy sector.
Yermak was fired on Friday, only hours after Ukraine’s national anti-corruption bureau raided his residence as part of an investigation into an alleged scheme to skim around $100 million. While no charges have been brought against him, the scandal has rocked Kyiv’s political establishment, given Yermak’s status as one of Zelenskyy’s closest and most powerful advisers.
Speaking to the New York Post, Yermak delivered an emotional statement, saying he would not allow the scandal to damage the president.
“I’ve been desecrated, and my dignity hasn’t been protected,” he said. “Therefore, I don’t want to create problems for Zelenskyy; I’m going to the front.”
Yermak also condemned what he described as a barrage of political attacks:
“I’m disgusted by the filth directed at me, and even more disgusted by the lack of support from those who know the truth.”
The scandal centers on allegations that individuals within Zelenskyy’s inner circle attempted to siphon funds from Ukraine’s energy system at a time when the country remains under severe pressure from Russia’s ongoing war.
Yermak had long served as a key international negotiator for Kyiv, maintaining crucial ties with Western partners and previously leading dialogue with the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
President Zelenskyy has appointed Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, to take over negotiations with senior U.S. officials during meetings scheduled for Sunday.
Yermak closed his remarks with a pointed farewell: “Maybe we’ll see each other again. Glory to Ukraine.”
