In recent weeks, concerns have been raised about the growing power of Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff Andrey Yermak. As per multiple reports by The Times, Ukrainian officials have expressed their disapproval of Yermak’s increasing influence over Ukraine. Described as “Zelensky’s right-hand man” and “Ukraine’s real power broker,” Yermak is now perceived as something more; the de facto head of state or vice-president of the country.
Maxim Tucker, a correspondent for The Times, reported that many governmental sources in Kiev have come forward to speak about their concerns regarding Yermak’s authority surpassing elected officials in Ukraine – excluding President Zelensky himself. Some anonymous sources even went as far as calling him the “de facto head of state” or “Ukraine’s vice-president.
Tucker, who previously worked as Amnesty International’s campaigner on Ukraine, claimed to have interviewed various government, military, law enforcement and diplomatic sources. He described Yermak as being a part of Zelensky’s “greatest flaw,” with his hunger for power growing increasingly apparent.
Concerns are mounting that President Zelensky has become increasingly reliant on a few select individuals who surround him, while the number of people with direct access to him continues to decrease as Yermak’s team expands. Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, said, “Zelensky’s big mistake has been to entrust so much authority to Yermak, who is clearly intoxicated with power.
Additionally, military officials have blamed Yermak for orchestrating the firing of General Valery Zaluzhny in February, as he viewed him as a rival. However, a spokesman for President Zelensky’s office denied this claim, stating that Zaluzhny was not fired but rather promoted to ambassador to the UK, which signifies a high level of trust.
When questioned about these criticisms, a representative from the presidential office – which Yermak currently runs – dismissed all negative statements against him as “propaganda attacks.” They maintained that Yermak had a direct and effective management style, which has led to successes such as the upcoming Swiss “peace summit.
Andrey Yermak, a former film producer, was brought into the government by President Zelensky – an actor turned politician – in 2019. In recent times, Yermak has begun stepping into the public spotlight more frequently. He attended the ‘Democracy Summit’ in Denmark alongside former NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is a paid advisor to the Ukrainian government.
Yermak and Rasmussen’s ‘International Working Group on Security Issues and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine’ was the first to propose lifting all restrictions on the use of Western weapons supplied to Kiev. This suggestion was quickly amplified by former British PM Boris Johnson, before spreading to NATO capitals, eventually resulting in an agreement from the White House to implement it.