President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, appeared in a Kyiv court on Tuesday after being named a suspect in a money-laundering scheme by Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies, according to BBC. Yermak’s lawyer described the allegations against the former head of the presidential office as “baseless,” specifically those involving a $10.5m (£7.5m) luxury construction project outside Kyiv. Hours before the court hearing. Yermak denied owning a house. Stating he only has one flat and one car, and said he would comment further after the court session.

Corruption Probe and Legal Proceedings

Yermak had long been a close advisor to Zelensky and led negotiations with the US until an anti-corruption raid on his flat last November led to his resignation. Ukraine’s Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo) is seeking either preventive detention or a $4m (£3m) bail for Yermak; the head of the National anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) clarified that Zelensky himself is not part of the pre-trial investigation. Yermak has also been linked to a broader inquiry into an alleged $100m (£74m) embezzlement scheme in Ukraine’s nuclear energy sector.

As part of Operation Midas. Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov was charged with abuse of office, while businessman Timur Mindich reportedly fled the country after being flagged as a suspect. Ex-Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko was detained while trying to leave — Mindich, once part of Zelensky’s inner circle and co-owner of the president’s former TV studio Kvartal95, denies any wrongdoing.

Impact on Ukraine’s EU Aspirations

The latest developments have raised concerns about Ukraine’s progress in joining the European Union; Last year, Zelensky had to repeal a law that weakened the independence of the two anti-corruption agencies after widespread protests and criticism from the EU. The allegations against Yermak have further complicated the political scene.

The case centers on an elite housing project called “Dynasty” in a village outside Kyiv, where millions in construction funds were allegedly laundered — the anti-corruption bureau shared part of a wiretapped conversation as part of its case and said six more people had been identified as suspects. Yermak’s defence lawyer, Ihor Fomin, told Ukraine’s Suspilne public broadcaster that the accusations were triggered by public pressure, which he described as unmatched.

War and Political Developments

Presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvun said it was premature to comment on the ongoing case. Meanwhile, Russia ended a three-day ceasefire to mark its victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. In a series of overnight attacks, more than 200 drones targeted Ukraine, leaving at least one person dead, according to authorities. Moscow also claimed it had shot down more than 100 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours.

Putin suggested at the weekend that the war was “coming to an end,” though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that “a lot of homework is still to be done,” indicating that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky is unlikely. Zelensky, in turn, stated that Russia had “no intention of ending this war” and was preparing further attacks. Although Russia’s Victory Day parade was low key, with no military hardware displayed, Putin announced that Moscow would deploy a new 35,000km-range nuclear missile called Sarmat by the end of 2026.