A seemingly unchanging character on the political scene, Andriy Yermak was a persistent, menacing presence in the Ukrainian government. You may not have always seen him despite his massive bulk. However, Yermak was frequently close to President Volodymyr Zelensky wherever he appeared. As his chief of staff, Yermak held great authority at the highest levels of government and was even trusted to represent Ukraine in peace negotiations with the United States.
However, public disapproval of this unelected official’s power increased along with his influence. Hours after anti-corruption detectives raided his Kyiv residence, his political career abruptly ended on Friday. Zelensky was a TV producer and Yermak was an intellectual property attorney when they first met in 2011. Yermak joined Zelensky as chief of staff after they collaborated on the 2019 presidential campaign. When the Russians began their full-scale invasion of Kyiv in February 2022, he stood behind the president during his now-famous “we are still here” statement.
Yermak was considered by many to be the second most powerful individual in Ukraine as Zelensky gradually consolidated his control. He allegedly influenced foreign policy, drove out political adversaries, and even made choices on the battlefield. Big characters shape Ukrainian politics, and Zelensky’s administration had two of them. Yermak had favorable circumstances inside the expansive Presidential Office, but this was not the case beyond its towering walls. His popularity was plummeting.
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