29/11/2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired his powerful chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, after investigators raided Yermak’s home in a major corruption probe. The dismissal comes as Ukraine faces a renewed Russian offensive and a controversial US peace plan viewed as favoring Moscow. Yermak is accused of involvement in a $100-million energy-sector kickback scheme, sparking public anger amid nationwide blackouts from Russian strikes. Yermak, long viewed as Ukraine’s second-most powerful and most divisive figure, was known for centralizing authority and sidelining critics. He and Zelenskyy were notably close, often appearing together at official events, with media reporting they even shared living quarters in the presidential bunker.