Bombay Durpun - Zelensky top aide searched by anti-graft investigators

Investigators earlier this month said they had uncovered a $100-million kickback scheme in the strategic energy sector, triggering widespread public anger at a time when Russia is hammering Ukraine's power grid, causing blackouts and threatening winter heating outages.

The raids are another blow to Zelensky, who is facing a mounting Russian offensive in the east just as the United States, a crucial ally, tabled a surprise plan to end the war that heavily favoured Moscow.

Yermak, 54, was named Ukraine's top negotiator in talks with Washington to refine that proposal, and analysts said the raids could hurt Kyiv's position.

Early Friday, the National Anti-Corruption Agency (NABU) said it, along with the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), were "conducting investigative actions (searches) at the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine."

It did not say what the investigation was about.

Yermak said he was cooperating.

"There are no obstacles for the investigators. They have been given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are present on-site, cooperating with the law enforcement officers. From my side, there is full cooperation," he said on social media.

- 'Influence' -

Yermak is Zelensky's most important ally, but a divisive figure in Kyiv, where his opponents say he has accumulated power, gate-keeps access to the president and ruthlessly sidelines critical voices.

A former film producer and copyright lawyer, Yermak came into politics with Zelensky in 2019, previously working with him during the now-president's time as a popular comedian.

Yermak is widely considered the second-most influential man in the country and even sometimes nicknamed "vice-president".

"Yermak doesn't allow anyone to get to Zelensky except loyal people," a former senior official who worked with Zelensky and Yermak told AFP, describing him as "super paranoid".

"He definitely tries to influence almost every decision," they added.

Opposition figures have alleged Yermak is connected to the massive corruption scandal that has engulfed Kyiv.

Zelensky sacked two ministers over the scandal, and one of his close friends and business associates, Timur Mindich, was accused of masterminding the scheme.

Speaking after the raid on Yermak was announced, the European Union backed the work of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies.

"We have a lot of respect for those investigations which show that the anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine are doing their work," said European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho.

Zelensky had in the summer tried to strip the independence of NABU and SPO, triggering rare wartime protests and forcing him to roll back after criticism from the EU.

- Calls to resign -

Yermak has faced calls to resign amid the scandal.

But in a show of confidence in his top aide -- and a sign of how important he is to Zelensky -- the president named him Kyiv's top negotiator with the United States over the plan to end the war.

Opposition MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said Yermak was mentioned in wiretap recordings released by the anti-corruption agencies into the energy scandal, reportedly referred as "Ali Baba".

A senior source in Zelensky's party said Yermak's influence over the president was akin to "hypnosis".

Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP the searches could undermine Kyiv's position in talks with the United States.

"It will undoubtedly significantly weaken Ukraine's position in the negotiation process," he said.

"The optimal option would be his temporary removal," Fesenko added.

In a March 2025 poll by the Razumkov Centre, an NGO, two-thirds of Ukrainians said they did not trust Yermak.

But he has been a stalwart by Zelensky's side throughout the war.

The two men are seen together on official photos of almost all presidential events. According to media reports, their beds stand side by side in the presidential office's underground bunker, and in their free time, they play table tennis, watch movies or work out.

W.Atwal--BD