Kyiv: Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has conducted searches at locations associated with Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky, as part of a corruption investigation involving the state nuclear energy company Energoatom, local media reported on Friday.
NABU confirmed on Telegram that the searches are linked to an active probe but did not specify Yermak’s role in the case. The inquiry is being carried out together with the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
Yermak also issued a statement on Telegram, saying investigators were carrying out procedural actions at his residence. “The investigators are not encountering any obstacles,” he wrote. He added that law enforcement officials had been granted complete access to the apartment and that his lawyers were cooperating on site. “For my part, I am providing full cooperation,” he stated.
The investigation has been underway for several weeks into alleged corruption connected to Energoatom. According to the agencies, eight suspects have been charged so far in what is described as the largest corruption case opened since the start of the conflict with Russia in 2022.
NABU and SAPO said the 15-month probe uncovered around 1,000 audio recordings indicating that members of the Ukrainian government participated in wrongdoing. The group is accused of taking bribes worth 10–15% of contract values from Energoatom contractors.
The bureau further alleged that approximately USD 100 million was laundered through the scheme, including kickbacks from companies involved in building fortifications meant to protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. Millions of Ukrainians have been affected by power outages and blackouts following repeated strikes.
