A court in Kyiv has ordered the detention of Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky’s former chief of staff, ahead of a high-profile trial tied to a major corruption investigation, according to Euronews.
The ruling on May 14, 2026 placed Yermak in custody for two months, with bail set at €2.7 million. The former presidential aide said he could not afford the sum and would remain behind bars while he challenged the charges.
“I don’t have that kind of money for bail. Right now, my lawyer will be working with friends and acquaintances. I deny any accusations. I have nothing to hide, and I will file an appeal,” Yermak told journalists outside the courtroom.
The case is being led by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). Investigators allege that around €9 million was laundered between 2021 and 2025 through the construction of a luxury residential complex in Kozyn, a wealthy suburb south of Kyiv.
The project was planned to include four private mansions of roughly 1,000 square metres each, alongside a shared wellness complex with a spa and swimming pool. One of the houses was allegedly intended for Yermak himself.
He was formally notified as a suspect on May 12, alongside six other people. If convicted, he could face up to 12 years in jail.
Yermak and his lawyer Ihor Fomin have denied any wrongdoing, describing the charges as “unfounded”. They claim the anti-corruption bodies have been subjected to “public pressure” to act against him.
Zelensky has so far remained silent on the case and the allegations against Yermak, who was long regarded as the President’s most trusted ally and Ukraine’s “number two”.
NABU and SAPO stated that Zelensky “has not been and is not currently involved in the investigation”. The probe also targets Oleksiy Chernyshov, a former deputy prime minister, and Timur Mindich, a former business partner of Zelensky.
Yermak previously served as Ukraine’s lead negotiator in talks with the United States. He resigned from his post in November 2025 amid mounting pressure linked to the broader anti-corruption inquiry, casting a shadow over Zelensky’s administration.
The wider probe was first made public in November 2025, when one of Zelensky’s former business partners was accused of running a kickback scheme at the state atomic energy agency worth around $100 million (€92 million).
Ukraine’s Government has come under sustained pressure from European Union partners and international donors to show progress on tackling corruption, an area that remains central to Kyiv’s bid for EU membership. The European Commission has repeatedly urged Kyiv to strengthen the independence of its anti-corruption institutions as part of broader reforms tied to accession negotiations.
The case is regarded as one of the most serious political challenges faced by Zelensky’s administration since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
