Ukraine anti-corruption police raids the home of Zelensky’s top adviser, as political troubles mount

CNN:

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies raided the home of one of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s closest aides on Friday, escalating a major political crisis as Kyiv faces renewed pressure from the United States to accept a peace deal to end the war with Russia.

Officially the chief of staff to the president, Andriy Yermak is often seen as Ukraine’s second most powerful man. He has been leading the Ukrainian delegation during recent talks in Geneva with Washington.

Yermak confirmed the raid was going on, saying on Telegram that he was “fully cooperating” with the authorities.

“The investigators are not encountering any obstacles. They have been given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officials,” he said.

Yermak seen next to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky during a top level meeting in Warsaw, Poland on January 15, 2025. Sergei Gapon/AFP/Getty Images/File

Both of Ukraine’s two main anti-corruption bodies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), were involved in the searches, according to a statement released by the agencies on Friday.

The statement did not disclose the reason for the raids, but the raid comes just two weeks after the two agencies announced a sweeping investigation into a kickback scheme concerning Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure.

The scandal has already taken down two of Zelensky’s ministers and embroiled a former business associate from his days in the entertainment industry.

But the latest development is particularly awkward for Zelensky given Yermak’s recent elevation to the top of Ukraine’s negotiating team.

Talks with the United States have been difficult. Last week, the Trump administration came up with a 28-point peace plan that largely reflected Russia’s extensive wishlist, including demands for Ukraine to give up territory, reduce its army and be barred from joining NATO.

Ukrainian and European officials strongly opposed that version of the peace plan and Yermak’s delegation managed to convince the US to revise it.

More talks have been scheduled for the coming days. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was expecting a US delegation to arrive to Moscow early next week, while Zelensky said the Ukrainian team was also set to meet the Americans.

While some US officials, including President Donald Trump, have touted great progress being made this week, any chances of a swift breakthrough appear slim, especially after Putin indicated on Thursday that he is unwilling to budge from his maximalist demands.