Ali Baba from the recording?
Ukraine is facing the biggest corruption scandal since the Russian invasion broke out. Several officials have been accused of manipulating contracts at the state energy firm Enerhoatom. Both Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk have already had to resign as a result of the case.
Investigators allege that the network "laundered" some $100 million through a secret office based in Kiev. Most have publicly denied the allegations.
Yermak's political opponents are trying to link him directly to the scandal. They claim that either he or one of his aides is the anonymous person referred to as Ali Baba in the wiretaps obtained by NABU.
The accusations are aided by the fact that the leader of the criminal group, Timur Mindic, otherwise a close associate of Zelensky from their days together at the Kvartal 95 production company, also called Jermak "his friend".
"People mention me and sometimes try to accuse me of things I don't even know about without any evidence," the adviser told Politico Welt in his defence.
However, sources in Ukrainian politics say that it was Jermak who started the fight to abolish the independence of the NABU and SAPO anti-corruption bureaus a few months ago, as investigators targeted the president's inner circle. And had he not been thwarted in this plan by protests and threats of non-integration into the EU, the Enerhoatom scandal might not have even seen the light of day.
The Ukrainska Pravda portal even wrote that Yermak had ordered police officials loyal to the president to prepare criminal proceedings against Oleksandr Klymenko, the head of SAPO.
Peace negotiations under threat
Although European allies do not yet consider the narrowing corruption circle to be such a problem, U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll reportedly outlined it during a meeting with Zelensky on 20 November. The Ukrainian president reportedly responded that he would not be able to "move forward" if his closest associates were accused of corruption, claiming that this would jeopardize any peace negotiations.
Multiple media outlets reported that US President Donald Trump had purposefully used Zelensky's weakened political position to present a 28-point peace plan. He reportedly believed that Ukraine's first man would be more willing to agree to even greater concessions to Moscow in foreign policy when he had no backing at home.
However, Yermak reported on Thursday evening that as long as Zelensky is president, Ukraine will refuse territorial concessions. And that is Russia's key condition.
President Vladimir Putin also said on Thursday that Russia will end the fighting in Ukraine when Ukrainian troops withdraw from areas claimed by Moscow. Otherwise, he plans to take them by force.
Gaining influence
Already, even people from Zelensky's Servant of the Nation party are demanding that the head of state dismiss Yermak. Frustration with his influence is reportedly growing in the opposition and in circles close to the president.
Foreign media reported earlier this year that Jermak controls most of the intelligence flows to Zelensky.
He is also credited with influence in this year's cabinet reshuffle, where he reportedly put his own people in ministerial posts, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, while ousting those disloyal to him.
(reuters, est)
