Ukrainian President Zelensky Faces Calls to โDismiss Chief of Staff Amidst Energy Sector Corruption Probe
Kyiv,Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing mounting pressure to dismiss โhis Chief of Staff,Andriy Yermak,following a major โขcorruption โinquiry within the country’s โฃenergy sector,according to reports from Ukrainska Pravda. The calls for Yermak’s removal reportedly came during a series of meetings Zelensky held last week with key government figures โto strategize a response to the fallout from the probe.
The investigation, launched by the National Anti-corruption Bureau of โUkraine (NABU) on November 10th, centers on a criminal organization accused of influencing strategic โstate-owned enterprises, including Energoatom, through a large-scale corruption scheme.NABU conducted searchesโข at โthe homes ofโ entrepreneur Tymur mindichus,a founder of the Kvartal 95 studio,and Justice Minister Germanas galushchenko,who previously served as Minister ofโ Energy.
Seven individuals are currently suspected in the case, including Mindichus, identified as the head โof the criminal organization, former Energy Ministry advisor Ihor Myroniuk, Energoatom’s executive director for physical protection and security, Dmytro Basov, and four โindividuals allegedly involved in money laundering – โOleksandr Tsukerman, Ihor Fursonko, Lesia Ustymenko, โandโค Lyudmyla Zorina.
Sources familiar with the presidential discussions told Ukrainska Pravda that while various solutions to the crisis were offered, “almost โคall of them disagreed andโข advised toโ replace the head โof the presidential office A. Yermak.” A โขhigh-ranking member ofโ the ruling People’s Servant party reportedly โstated that it would be easier to count those within the Verkhovnaโค Rada not requesting Yermak’s dismissal.โข โOne source indicated โa potential fracturing of the faction if Yermak remains in hisโข position, stating, “It is understood that ther is โno direct blackmail,โข but if he is not fired, the faction โฃwill fall โapart.”
The push for โฃYermak’sโ removal is reportedly being spearheaded by a tandem of David Arachamiya and Daniil Getmantsev, with support from the liberal wing โof the People’s Servant party.
Onโ November 13th,President Zelensky imposed personal sanctions on Tymur โฃMindichus and Oleksandr Tsukerman.
This situation unfolds as Ukraine continues to navigate the challenges of war with โคRussia and simultaneously strives to address internal corruption, a key requirement for maintaining international support and progressingโ towards European Union membership. The outcome of this โinternal โฃpolitical pressure and the ongoing corruptionโ investigation willโฃ likely have notable implications forโค the stability of Zelensky’s โคadministration and Ukraine’s reform efforts.