Andriy Yermak Charged in $100 Million Energoatom Probe, Deepening Ukraine Corruption Crisis
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Independent · May 11
Andriy Yermak Charged in $100 Million Energoatom Probe, Deepening Ukraine Corruption Crisis
2 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · May 11
SAPO charged former presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak with money laundering in the $100 million Energoatom corruption case, according to prosecutors and a law-enforcement source cited by the Kyiv Independent.
The case centers on alleged kickbacks tied to the state nuclear monopoly; investigators say one luxury house near Kyiv financed through the scheme was intended for Yermak, who denied owning any house.
Nine suspects had already been charged, including Zelensky associate Timur Mindich, ex-Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and former ministers Herman Halushchenko and others linked to the probe.
Yermak resigned in November 2025 as the investigation widened, ending a tenure in which he amassed unusual power as Zelensky's gatekeeper and a key channel in talks with U.S. officials on Russia.
Zelensky has not commented on the charge, while an adviser said it was too early to assess the procedural steps in what has become the biggest corruption investigation of his presidency.
With his top aide charged in a major scandal, can President Zelensky's anti-corruption legacy survive?
Has a massive corruption scheme secretly undermined Ukraine's wartime drone production?
$100 Million Energoatom Corruption Scandal: Operation Midas, Zelensky’s Inner Circle, and the Battle for Ukraine’s Future
Overview
Ukraine is facing its biggest corruption scandal since the war began, centered on the alleged siphoning and laundering of $100 million from the state-owned nuclear power company Energoatom. The investigation, which started in 2026, has deeply implicated President Zelensky's inner circle and led to the dismissal of two ministers. Anti-corruption agencies have released details gradually through wiretaps and court testimony, fueling public perception that the scandal reaches the highest levels of leadership. Notably, recorded conversations implicate a key figure, 'Andriy' (likely Yermak), in a frozen housing project, highlighting the far-reaching impact of the ongoing crisis.