Andriy Yermak, the under-fire chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has dramatically resigned hours after anti-graft investigators reportedly searched his home. The departure comes as Kyiv is rocked by a deepening corruption crisis, threatening to destabilize the government amid high-stakes peace talks.
The scandal has been dubbed the ‘golden toilet’ probe, focusing on a massive fraud investigation into alleged £75 million (or $100 million) energy kickbacks.
Yermak’s Departure and Political Pressure
President Zelensky announced Yermak’s departure in a video this afternoon, as the embattled nation desperately tries to secure a favorable outcome in peace negotiations between Russia and America.
“Russia really wants Ukraine to make mistakes. There will be no mistakes on our part,” Zelensky said in the video, attempting to project stability amid the chaos.
Yermak’s political opponents have been actively trying to link him to the scandal, claiming that either he or one of his underlings is the anonymous individual referred to as ‘Ali Baba’ in wiretapped conversations related to the investigation.
The ‘Golden Toilet’ Scandal
The anti-graft agencies, NABU and SAPO, are probing a massive energy corruption scandal where officials were allegedly collecting bribes from the state nuclear power company, Energoatom.
The group of seven officials is said to have collected 10-15% of the value of each contract, amounting to £75 million that was unlawfully given to the tiny group—money that could have otherwise been used to help defend Ukraine from Russian attacks.
The scandal provoked further anger after a former Ukrainian government official claimed the businessman allegedly at the head of the scheme “had an apartment with golden toilets.” The resignation of Yermak, a senior official, underscores the depth and severity of the systemic corruption crisis facing Ukraine.
Source: BBC
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