[56449] Political upheaval in Ukraine: Money laundering suspicion against former Chief of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak
[56449] Political upheaval in Ukraine: Money laundering suspicion against former Chief of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak
The NABU and SAP have filed a notice of suspicion against former Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak regarding involvement in a money laundering case worth 460 million hryvnias in a luxury construction venture.
Political drama in Kyiv: Investigation against Andriy Yermak
On May 11, 2026, a political tremor hit Ukraine after the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) announced the filing of a formal suspicion against the former Chief of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak. According to reports by Лачен пише and Українська правда, Yermak is suspected of involvement in an organized group that laundered approximately 460 million hryvnias as part of a luxury construction project in the suburbs of Kyiv.
The investigation focuses on Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (money laundering). According to 24 Канал | Новини України, the evidence includes correspondence in which it is alleged that an individual referred to as "R2" – identified by investigators as Yermak – was involved in promoting construction at the "Dinasty" cooperative as early as March 2022, while Russian forces were still in the vicinity of the capital city.
Reactions in the political system and on social media are divided. While channels like Оперативний ЗСУ covered the events factually, others took a firm stance. Женьок Вещає… responded with sharp criticism of law enforcement authorities, claiming it is an act of "arbitrariness" against a "Hero of Ukraine." Conversely, channels such as Березовый сок criticized the current administration and asked about the involvement of other senior figures in the affair.
Andriy Yermak himself refused to comment on the technical details of the suspicion, noting in a conversation with Суспільне Львів that he would "provide a response when the procedural actions are completed." In a first official response on behalf of the Presidential Office, advisor Dmytro Lytvyn told ⚔️БРАТЧУК that "it is too early to give assessments" as long as the investigation proceedings are ongoing.
Parallel to the main affair, allegations were raised by Україна UA: Новини | Політика regarding alleged corruption in the office of Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets, claiming that senior government officials are preventing his investigation due to the protection of figures at the highest levels, which indicates growing tension surrounding the country's law enforcement systems.