Kyiv, November 30, 2025 —
Ukraine’s wartime leadership has been jolted after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned amid a sweeping $40 million military-aid corruption investigation, triggering domestic protests and international alarm.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) alleges that senior officials siphoned off drone-procurement funds through inflated contracts linked to oligarch-controlled firms. NABU Director Semen Kryvytsky confirmed 15 raids across Kyiv, the seizure of $5 million in cash, and charges including bribery and money laundering.
Yermak, 44—long considered Zelenskyy’s closest strategist and the architect of his 2019 election win—stepped down late Friday as investigators expanded the probe to 20 current and former officials, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Addressing the nation from an underground command site, Zelenskyy vowed a “complete purge of corrupt networks”, denied personal involvement, and blamed the scandal on “Russian destabilization efforts.” He named veteran diplomat Taras Shevchenko, 52, as interim chief of staff.
International Fallout
The political shockwave quickly spread:
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio froze $200 million in pending military aid, demanding a full audit.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen voiced “deep concern” about governance failures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the crisis as “Kiev’s internal collapse.”
The scandal comes just ahead of Zelenskyy’s crucial December 1 meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, now overshadowed by the corruption storm.
Domestic Backlash
As public frustration grows over wartime hardship, a new survey shows 62% of Ukrainians now doubt Zelenskyy’s leadership. Demonstrations broke out in Lviv and Odesa, with protesters demanding early elections and full transparency.
Analysts at the Atlantic Council warn that unless reforms move quickly, the scandal could undermine military morale as Russian forces intensify assaults in Donetsk.
With Ukraine having received over $100 billion in foreign aid since 2022, the crisis has spotlighted systemic corruption vulnerabilities at a critical moment in the war.
