From negotiator to incriminated party The deep fall of Selensky's shadow man

President Volodymyr Zelensky's closest confidant is gone: Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office and Ukraine's chief negotiator, resigns following a raid on his apartment.

The political landslide in Kiev is complete: Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office and President Volodymyr Zelensky's closest confidant, submitted his immediate resignation on Friday. Investigators from the anti-corruption authorities NABU and SAPO had previously searched his home - a move that has shaken the country's center of power in the midst of war.

It was triggered by "Operation Midas", the largest corruption investigation of the war period. The proceedings, which have been ongoing for months, involve alleged bribe payments of 10 to 15 percent for energy contracts, manipulated contracts and embezzled funds in the millions.

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Andriy Yermak was the head of the Ukrainian presidential office until his resignation - andtherefore the most important man in President Volodymyr Zelensky's entourage. For years, diplomats have described him as a "gray eminence", as someone who was simultaneously president, head of government and foreign minister.

Practically all major decisions passed through his desk. Most recently, he even led the Ukrainian team in the delicate peace negotiations with the USA.

Critics accuse him of having centralized the presidential administration too much and exerting influence in areas that lie outside his mandate. These include the delayed withdrawal from Bachmut in spring 2023, which was militarily controversial, and the removal of popular commanders. In Kiev, he was the man who wanted to have a say everywhere - and was therefore held partly responsible for everything.

Jermak resigned after anti-corruption investigators searched his apartment on Friday morning. Shortly beforehand, NABU and SAPO had announced a new step in the biggest corruption scandal of the war period - a scandal that is eating into the circle of power around President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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Yermak confirmed the search and announced that he was cooperating fully. By resigning, Zelenskyi's most powerful advisor to date is taking political pressure off the president - and trying to take the domestic political weight off the peace negotiations with the USA.

There have been no direct accusations against him for a long time, but Jermak's name has been cropping up more and more frequently since mid-November in the context of "Operation Midas" - the bribery affair in the energy sector, in which up to 100 million dollars are said to have been embezzled. Several media outlets reported that investigators may have identified one of the shadowy players with the code name "Ali Baba" as Jermak.

At the same time, it became known that a luxury house, which was allegedly financed via the corruption network, had allegedly been earmarked for him. No official accusations have been made to date, but the political climate has become increasingly toxic.

Zelensky made him chief negotiator in the talks on the controversial US peace plan in the midst of the corruption scandal. Jermak was at the forefront in Geneva last week when Ukraine rejected and revised the first version of the American plan, which was unacceptable to Kiev.

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His resignation is therefore explosive: Ukraine is in the middle of crucial talks with Washington and Moscow, and the central architect of Ukraine's positioning is now gone.

The rift had been simmering for some time. In the summer , the government attempted to bring NABU and SAPO under political control by law - a maneuver that was withdrawn after massive criticism from the EU.

At the time, many observers suspected that Jermak had played a central role in this move. There is speculation in Kiev that the investigations could also be seen as a reaction by the authorities to this exertion of influence.

Since the Energoatom affair came to light, the pressure on Zelensky has increased daily. Two ministers had to leave, a former business partner of the president fled abroad and several leading officials became the focus of investigations.

The fact that the authorities are now present in the president's inner circle for the first time marks a new level of escalation. For many, it was clear that if the investigators actually turned up at Jermak's house, his political end was only a matter of time.

In the short term, Zelenskyi is preventing the affair from further weakening his position in the upcoming peace negotiations. At the same time, he is losing his most important political manager - the man who has accompanied him for years and managed the government apparatus for him.

In the long term, however, the case also shows that the Ukrainian anti-corruption system is capable enough to touch even the most powerful figures. At a time when the EU is watching closely, this is a strategically important signal.

The investigation continues and it is unclear whether Jermak will be formally charged. It is also unclear who will lead the Ukrainian negotiating team in the future. Zelenskyi must find a solution quickly - because Washington is expecting the next delegation in just a few days and Moscow is pushing for a quick response to Trump's plan. In Kiev, the situation is being described as "the most delicate diplomatic phase since the start of the war".