Ukrainian anti-corruption court orders pretrial detention of ex-Zelensky chief of staff Andriy Yermak

Ukrainian anti-corruption court orders pretrial detention of ex-Zelensky chief of staff Andriy Yermak

14 мая 2026 г.

Mikhail Zhurenkov

A Ukrainian anti-corruption court ordered the pretrial detention of Andriy Yermak, the former chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Thursday, marking the most significant legal action to date against a former member of the president’s inner circle.

The court set bail for Yermak at 140 million hryvnias ($3.2 million). He is suspected of involvement in a scheme to launder roughly $10.5 million through the development of "Dynasty," a luxury real estate project near the capital.

Yermak has denied the allegations. He stated in court that he does not have the personal funds required to post bail, and his defense team announced plans to appeal the ruling.

The detention order escalates a sprawling anti-corruption probe dubbed Operation "Midas." According to earlier reporting by OCCRP, investigators believe the illicit funds channeled into the luxury construction project are tied to a broader network of alleged kickbacks and money laundering connected to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy operator.