With the resignation of Presidential Chief of Staff Yermak, one of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's closest confidants has stepped down. Even though the corruption allegations against him have not been proven, many felt the move was long overdue.
The opposition had been demanding it for some time. But now the pressure has apparently become too great. With a somber expression, the Ukrainian president announces another personnel change in his team. But this one is tantamount to a political earthquake.
"Internal strength is the foundation of our unity and our relations with the world. And for this internal strength to exist, there must be no distraction from the defense of Ukraine," declared Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He wants to ensure that no one has any questions for Ukraine."Therefore, internal decisions are being made today. The Presidential Administration is being restructured. Its head, Andriy Yermak, has submitted his resignation."
At the center of a corruption scandal
It's a heavy blow for the Ukrainian president. In the early hours of the morning, the anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO searched Yermak's apartment. This puts Zelenskyy's closest advisor in the spotlight of investigators in one of the biggest corruption scandals in Ukrainian history.
Yermak has played a central role in Zelenskyy's government so far, Ukrainian political scientist Oleh Saakyan explained this morning on Ukrainian radio: He doesn't play his own political games, but carries out all the important tasks and acts as a confidant in all areas. That is precisely why Yermak serves as Zelenskyy's direct representative in numerous departments and working groups.
Who is"Ali Baba"?
However, in more than 1,000 hours of intercepted conversations, some of which corruption investigators have released, Jermak allegedly appears under the codename"Ali Baba." And he is said to be using security forces to exert pressure on the investigators.
Oleksandr Klymenko, head of the Special Prosecutor's Office for Anti-Corruption, declined to confirm in an interview with ARD that"Ali Baba" is actually Andriy Yermak: "At a public event, I said that a person with the codename 'Ali Baba' is holding meetings with representatives of the security services and is essentially coordinating their actions against the anti-corruption agencies and their heads. This pressure continues. A plan is being drawn up to get rid of the heads of the anti-corruption agencies."
Yermak's resignation is long overdue for many people in Ukraine. The former film producer had long faced criticism. He was accused of concentrating too much power and creating a system in which he alone decided access to President Zelenskyy.
He thanked Yermak, but he didn't want any speculation, the Ukrainian president emphasized in the evening. Who will take over the office is not yet known.
