Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sap/Sapo), have initiated searches at the apartment of Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff and lead negotiator. Yermak, 54, confirmed these procedural actions on social media, stating that investigators had full access to his apartment and that his lawyers were on site, ensuring full cooperation from his side.

This development comes as a significant corruption scandal engulfs several figures close to President Zelensky. While neither Zelensky nor Yermak have been accused of wrongdoing, the chief of staff's position has come under increasing threat from critics. Yermak has been a crucial figure in Ukraine's response to Russia's full-scale war, acting as Kyiv's lead negotiator in peace talks with the US, and is widely considered the second most powerful figure in Ukraine after Zelensky.

The scandal centers around an alleged $100 million (£75m) embezzlement scheme within the energy sector. Investigators have uncovered an extensive plan to take kickbacks and influence state-owned companies, including the state nuclear energy firm Enerhoatom, Ukraine’s most important energy supplier. The scheme, which emerged earlier in November, is said to involve insiders receiving 10-15% kickbacks from commercial partners.

Timur Mindich, a former business associate and old friend of President Zelensky from the Kvartal 95 TV production company, has been accused of organizing the criminal scheme. Mindich reportedly fled the country, leaving his Kyiv apartment just hours before investigators arrived to arrest him. The allegations have sparked widespread public outrage, particularly given that money was allegedly diverted from key infrastructure projects vital for safeguarding Ukrainian power supplies, at a time when Russian attacks have severely damaged Ukraine's energy infrastructure, forcing citizens to cope with daily electricity blackouts.

The timing of these searches is particularly awkward for President Zelensky and Yermak. US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is expected to arrive in Kyiv by the end of the week, as US President Donald Trump pushes ahead with a draft peace plan. US officials are also scheduled to visit Moscow next week. This situation complicates Ukraine's efforts to garner support for its own 19-point counterproposal, which Yermak was fronting in Geneva talks with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, just before the searches made headlines.

The anti-corruption investigation is backed by over 1,000 hours of secretly recorded conversations, some of which reportedly reveal a suspect expressing regret over building defensive structures for power stations, suggesting the money could have been stolen instead. President Zelensky has denounced the scheme and has already taken action, firing two ministers and detaining several suspects in connection with the scandal. However, questions persist regarding the extent of senior government figures' awareness.

Amid this political turmoil, Yermak acknowledged the