A test for Ukraine, a dilemma for Zelensky: What's at stake in the Andriy Yermak corruption probe

France24 · 🇫🇷 public France · May 15, 2026 · 1503 words · By Paul MILLAR

Government corruption Rule of Law in Wartime Political Stability of Zelensky Administration

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What to know about Government corruption

A test for Ukraine, a dilemma for Zelensky: What's at stake in the Andriy Yermak corruption probe The arrest of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former right-hand man Andriy Yermak Thursday in connection to a corruption scandal comes as a major test for…

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center88%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

Yermak is accused of laundering 460 million hryvnia (more than $10 million) in dirty money through an elite real estate project outside of Kyiv – and of having used a secret phone to consult an astrologer on key government appointments.

Common ground

You’d think the fortune teller would have tipped him off.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Government corruption story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Yermak resigned last November after his offices were raided as part of a months-long investigation into a $100 million corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector?
How does this story connect Government corruption with Rule of Law in Wartime over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260515-test-for-ukraine-dilemma-zelensky-wh…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 60% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 4

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

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Claim 1: “Yermak resigned last November after his offices were raided as part of a months-long investigation into a $100 million corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report that Yermak resigned following raids related to a $100 million corruption scandal in the energy sector.

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web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Borysovych Yermak (Ukrainian: Андрій Борисович Єрмак; born 21 November 1971) is a Ukrainian politician and former film producer who served as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Yermak

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Zelensky’s chief of staff Andrii Yermak has resigned after investigators searched his home in Kyiv, intensifying Ukraine’s $100m anti-corruption probe and raising political stakes as pressure mounts o…
https://www.livemint.com/news/world/anticorruption-raids-roc…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Two national agencies investigating a $100 million energy sector corruption scandal involving top Ukrainian officials in the country said they had searched Yermak's office. President Zelenskyy announc…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zelenskyy-ukraine-corruption-sc…

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Claim 2: “An attempt by Zelensky last July to put Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies under the control of a presidential appointee was abandoned following rare wartime protests”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

The evidence block explicitly states 'No evidence found after searching' for this claim.

schedule

Claim 3: “Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPU) have said that Zelensky himself is not under suspicion”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 4: “The 54-year-old lawyer and former film producer stands accused of being involved in laundering more than $10 million in embezzled funds through the construction of lavish private mansions in the village of Kozyn”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of Wikipedia and web results for 'Cool Math Games', which are entirely irrelevant to Andriy Yermak.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Cool Math Games (branded as Coolmath Games) [a] is an online web portal that hosts HTML and Flash web browser games targeted at children and young adults.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool_Math_Games

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Here's our set of cool math games, practice problem generators and free online flash cards for Arithmetic through Algebra
https://www.coolmath.com/0-cool-math-games-and-problems

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Coolmath Games is a brain-training site for everyone, where logic & thinking & math meets fun & games. These games have no violence, no empty action, just a lot of challenges that will make you forget…
https://www.coolmathgames.com/

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Claim 5: “The anti-corruption operation – dubbed “Midas” – accused Zelensky’s former business partner Tymur Mindich of leading a scheme to siphon off tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks from the country’s state-owned nuclear energy giant Energoatom”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia, NABU, and Russia Matters all confirm 'Operation Midas' involves allegations against Tymur Mindich regarding siphoning funds from Energoatom.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Several people have been implicated in Operation Midas, an ongoing investigation. The alleged ringleader is Tymur Mindich, a co-owner of the Kvartal 95 comedy troupe that Zelenskyy also co-owned befor…
https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/army-zelenskyy-ukrain…

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web search NEUTRAL — Operation Midas (also known as "Mindich-gate") is an anti-corruption investigation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midas

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web search NEUTRAL — Operation Midas. On Nov. 10, NABU detectives carried out searches targeting businessman Tymur Mindich, former energy minister and current justice minister Herman Halushchenko, and the company Energoat…
https://english.nv.ua/nation/nabu-chief-midas-scheme-siphone…

schedule

Claim 6: “Former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov and former energy minister German Galushchenko have both been detained in connection to the probe”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “Yermak is accused of laundering 460 million hryvnia (more than $10 million) in dirty money through an elite real estate project outside of Kyiv”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that Andriy Yermak is suspected in a money-laundering scheme involving approximately 460 million hryvnia (approx $10.5 million) related to luxury real estate.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Yermak is suspected in an alleged 460-million-hryvnia ($10.5 million) money-laundering scheme, the agencies announced late Monday.
https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2026/05/12/ukraine-officials…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Yermak is suspected in an alleged $10.5m money-laundering scheme involving a luxury real estate development.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/13/zelenskyys-ex-chief…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Investigators believe $9 million was laundered during construction. On May 12, the court postponed the selection of a preventive measure for Andriy Yermak due to the large size of the case, which cons…
https://en.interaffairs.ru/article/ukraine-court-arrests-pre…

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Claim 8: “Andriy Yermak... was taken into pre-trial detention Thursday on money-laundering charges after a three-day hearing in Kyiv”

CORROBORATED

France 24 and Sott.net both report that Yermak was placed in pre-trial detention for 60 days following hearings in Kyiv in May 2026.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Borysovych Yermak is a Ukrainian politician and former film producer who served as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine from 2020 to 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Yermak

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky's former chief of staff, attends a court hearing in Kyiv on May 12, 2026.The court ruled to place Yermak in pre-trial detention for a period of 60 days, unl…
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260514-zelensky-former-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — After multi-day hearings, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) imposed 60 days of pre-trial detention starting May 14, with an alternative of bail set at 140 million hryvnias (roughly $3.2 million). …
https://www.sott.net/article/506317-Zelenskyys-former-right-…

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Claim 9: “prosecutors also alleged that Yermak had kept a secret phone that he used to regularly contact a Kyiv-based astrologer known as “Veronika Feng Shui” – identified as 51-year-old Veronika Anikiyevich”

CORROBORATED

Web search results from SAPO and the 'Schemes' project confirm the allegation that Yermak used a secret phone to contact 51-year-old astrologer Veronika Anikiyevich, known as 'Veronika Feng Shui'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — SAPO: Yermak used secret phone contact 'Veronika Feng Shui' to vet senior government posts.At the session, prosecutors presented inspection records from an iPhone 12 seized during a search of Veronika…
https://english.nv.ua/nation/veronika-feng-shui-whom-former-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Journalists from the “Schemes” project found out that Veronika Anikievich is a 51-year-old resident of Kyiv who calls herself an astrology consultant. On social networks, she actively spoke out in sup…
https://babel.ua/en/news/126940-sapo-veronika-feng-shui-offi…

info

Claim 10: “The arrest of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former right-hand man Andriy Yermak Thursday in connection to a corruption scandal”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for claim 0 consists of NBA roster and score pages, which are completely irrelevant to Andriy Yermak. No relevant evidence was provided for this specific claim in the evidence block.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Navigation Toggle. Home; Tickets; Key Dates; Tap To Watch; 2026 Playoffs Schedule; National TV Games; League Pass Schedule; Featured; NBA TV
https://www.nba.com/teams

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Charlotte Hornets live scores, game highlights, latest news, and updates.
https://www.nba.com/hornets/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Check out the current Charlotte Hornets roster and learn more about your favorite players with access to bios, photos, and stats.
https://www.nba.com/hornets/roster

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Claim 11: “having used a secret phone to consult an astrologer on key government appointments”

CORROBORATED

Web search results from LIGA.net and UNN Politics report that investigations claim Yermak used a secret phone to consult an astrologer regarding government/military appointments.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — LIGA.net figured out if she could astrology consultant to influence appointments in the military. The investigation claims that Yermak sent the astrologer the dates of the candidates' birthdays and as…
https://news.liga.net/en/politics/news/these-are-personal-th…

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web search NEUTRAL — УНН Politics Lyashko did not answer whether the former head of the Office of the President consulted an astrologer regarding his appointment. The investigation claims that this phone was used only for…
https://unn.ua/en/news/lyashko-responds-to-whether-yermak-co…

schedule

Claim 12: “Mindich... reportedly fled to Israel last year ahead of a raid on his house”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 13: “The court has set Yermak’s bail at $3.2 million”

CORROBORATED

Three independent high-authority sources (France 24, South China Morning Post, and BBC News) all confirm the bail was set at 140 million hryvnia, approximately $3.2 million.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — The court ruled to place Yermak in pre-trial detention for a period of 60 days, unless he posts bail of 140 million hryvnia (around $3.2 million)
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260514-zelensky-former-…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — The anti-corruption court also set bail at 140 million hryvnias (US$3.2 million)
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353586/ukrai…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — The court said he could be released on bail of £2.35m ($3.2m) with an electronic tag
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5p8yygq94o?at_medium=RSS…

schedule

Claim 14: “Sitting presidents are immune from prosecution by Ukrainian law enforcement – though they can be impeached if evidence of wrongdoing is found”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.