Ex-Zelenskyy Aide Yermak Ordered to Pretrial Detention

KYIV — Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) ordered the immediate pretrial detention of Andriy Yermak, the influential former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Thursday. The ruling follows a multi-year investigation into a multi-million dollar money-laundering scheme that has reached the highest echelons of the Ukrainian government.

​The court set bail at 140 million hryvnias ($3.6 million), a figure Yermak claims he cannot afford. “I don’t have that kind of money,” Yermak told reporters following the hearing. He stated he would seek assistance from “friends and acquaintances” to raise the funds while his legal team prepares an appeal.

​The “Dynasty” Scandal

​The charges center on “Operation Midas,” a massive anti-corruption probe launched by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). Prosecutors allege Yermak was part of a criminal group that laundered approximately 460 million hryvnias ($10.5 million) through the “Dynasty” elite housing development located just outside Kyiv.

​According to NABU, the project was funded by illicit kickbacks from Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy operator. Investigators allege that officials pressured contractors to pay between 10% and 15% in “fees” to secure construction and energy contracts. Wiretapped conversations and leaked transcripts reportedly show group members—using code names like “Ali Baba”—coordinating the siphoning of funds intended for the country’s vulnerable energy infrastructure.

​Fall of a “Vice President”

​Once widely regarded as the most powerful figure in Ukraine after Zelenskyy, Yermak’s resignation in November 2025 signaled a seismic shift in Kyiv’s political landscape. His departure followed a series of high-profile raids on his residence and office.

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​Yermak, a former film producer and lawyer, had been a fixture at Zelenskyy’s side since his 2019 campaign. He was Ukraine’s primary negotiator in high-stakes talks with Washington and a central architect of the nation’s foreign policy during the ongoing conflict with Russia.

​While President Zelenskyy has not been personally implicated in the “Dynasty” scheme, the case has intensified scrutiny on his inner circle. Several other high-ranking officials, including former ministers and business associates, have already been charged or have fled the country.

​Yermak maintains his innocence, characterizing the proceedings as “pressure” and asserting that he worked “honestly 24/7” for his country during his six years in office. If convicted of money laundering under Article 209 of the Criminal Code, he faces up to 12 years in prison.