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Zelenskyy's ex-chief of staff named as suspect in major graft probe

EuroNews · · 438 words · By Sasha Vakulina
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/12/zelenskyys-ex-chief-of-staff-named…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 3
verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
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“Former Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andrii Yermak has been named as a suspect in a major corruption investigation led by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (The Guardian, Washington Times, New York Times) and a Wikipedia entry confirm that Andriy Yermak resigned following a raid by anti-corruption agents (NABU/SAPO) as part of a high-profile investigation.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who, since 2019, has served as the sixth president of Ukraine. He took office five years afte…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oleh Yuriiovych Tatarov (Ukrainian: Олег Юрійович Татаров; 31 August 1982) is a Ukrainian lawyer and administrator. He began working in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1999, later becoming its dep…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleh_Tatarov
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web search NEUTRAL — Explore a wide range of commercial truck tires and accessories at TruckTireExpress. Find quality products for your trucking needs.
https://www.trucktireexpress.com/shop
+ 2 more evidence sources
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“investigators had uncovered an organised group suspected of laundering around €9 million (460 million hryvnias) between 2021 and 2025 through a luxury property development project near Kyiv.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While sources confirm Yermak was targeted in an anti-corruption investigation, the specific details regarding the €9 million laundering through a luxury property project near Kyiv between 2021-2025 are not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, though the general context of a 'vast kickback scheme' is mentioned.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Націона́льне антикорупці́йне бюро́ Украї́ни, abbr. НАБУ, romanized: Natsionalne antykoruptsiine biuro Ukrainy, abbr. NABU) is a Ukrainian l…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anti-Corruption_Burea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Operation Midas (Ukrainian: Опера́ція «Міда́с», romanized: Operacija "Midas") (also known as "Mindich-gate") is an anti-corruption investigation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midas
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Ukrainian: Спеціалізована антикорупційна прокуратура, romanized: Specializovana antykorupcijna prokuratura, abbr. САП, SAP or SAPO) is an independe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specialized_Anti-Corruption_Pr…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Yermak was a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before he was dismissed from office earlier this year.”
CORROBORATED
The Guardian, New York Times, and Wikipedia all confirm Yermak's resignation/dismissal from his post as chief of staff following the anti-corruption raids.
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web search NEUTRAL — On 28 November 2025, Yermak resigned from his position as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine after his home was raided by anti-corruption agents.[7][8] He was formally removed from the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Yermak
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web search NEUTRAL — Yermak formally dismissed from post.He says Yermak has submitted his resignation earlier today. “I am grateful to Andriy for always presenting the Ukrainian position in the negotiation track exactly a…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/nov/28/europe-la…
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web search NEUTRAL — The 54-year-old submitted his resignation hours after the search of his Kyiv home on Friday morning. President Zelensky confirmed the departure in a video statement, announcing that the presidential o…
https://www.gbnews.com/news/world/volodymyr-zelensky-chief-o…
verified
“NABU and SAPO said six other individuals were also notified as suspects on Tuesday”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided search results for 'Six' returned information about a musical and unrelated individuals; there is no evidence in the provided text confirming that six other individuals were notified as suspects on Tuesday.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Artem Sytnyk (Ukrainian: Ситник Артем Сергійович; born August 19, 1979, Kompaniivka, Kirovohrad Oblast) is a Ukrainian lawyer, former prosecutor's investigator, first director of the National Anti-Cor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artem_Sytnyk
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Націона́льне антикорупці́йне бюро́ Украї́ни, abbr. НАБУ, romanized: Natsionalne antykoruptsiine biuro Ukrainy, abbr. NABU) is a Ukrainian l…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anti-Corruption_Burea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who, since 2019, has served as the sixth president of Ukraine. He took office five years afte…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Yermak, who resigned from his post in November.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia specifically states that on 28 November 2025, Yermak resigned from his position as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
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web search NEUTRAL — On 28 November 2025, Yermak resigned from his position as the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine after his home was raided by anti-corruption agents.[7][8] He was formally removed from the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Yermak
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web search NEUTRAL — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's all-powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, resigned Friday as a high-profile anti-corruption investigation widened.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/28/andrii-yerm…
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web search NEUTRAL — Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff and top peace negotiator, became the highest-ranking casualty of an investigation into a vast kickback scheme.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/world/europe/zelensky-yer…
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“He had previously served as Ukraine’s lead negotiator in talks with the United States”
CORROBORATED
HuffPost and other news sources explicitly state that Yermak served as Ukraine's lead negotiator in talks with the United States and Russia.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On February 28, 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. vice president JD Vance held a highly contentious bilateral meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office at th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Trump–Zelenskyy_Oval_Offi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of international visits undertaken by Marco Rubio (in office since 2025) while serving as the 72nd and current United States secretary of state. The list includes both private travel an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_trips_ma…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Victoria Spartz (née Kulheyko; born October 6, 1978) is a Ukrainian-born American politician and businesswoman who is the U.S. representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. Spartz is a memb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Spartz
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“NABU and SAPO allege that around €9 million was funnelled over several years using a network of shell companies, cash transactions, and fictitious financial documents.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions 'vast kickback schemes' and other NABU/SAPO grain/defense cases, but the specific €9 million shell company/fictitious document allegation for this specific case is not corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided text.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — To hide the disappearance of the grain, the State Food and Grain Corporation left copies of documents with forged signatures and seals, creating the appearance of control over the cargo. As a result, …
https://ukranews.com/en/news/1143873-nabu-and-sapo-expose-la…
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web search NEUTRAL — NABU and SAP exposed an organized crime group that embezzled over UAH 32 million from Ukroboronprom enterprises between 2014 and 2019. The scheme involved using fictitious foreign companies to artific…
https://inkorr.com/en/nabu-vikrilo-shemu-rozkradanna-32-mln-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The total amount of restitution in cash and property within NABU and SAPO cases exceeded UAH 762 million. For the first time, a significant sum was successfully recovered from abroad—€3.37 million (eq…
https://reports.nabu.gov.ua/en/investigations/
info
“Law enforcement watchdogs allege that the group planned to construct four private mansions, each roughly 1,000 square metres in size, along with a shared wellness complex featuring a spa and swimming pool.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for this claim returned information about the state of Bihar in India, which is completely irrelevant to the claim about luxury mansions in Ukraine.
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web search NEUTRAL — Etymology The name Bihar is derived from the Sanskrit and Pali word vihāra (Devanagari: विहार), meaning "abode" and usually referred to a Buddhist monastery. The region roughly encompassing the presen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar
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web search NEUTRAL — Bihar is known for its ancient universities, spiritual heritage, and strong democratic traditions shaping. Key demographic, economic and social indicators showcasing Bihar’s rapid development. Governa…
https://betastate.bihar.gov.in/default
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web search NEUTRAL — Bihar is located in the eastern part of the country. It is an entirely land–locked state, although the outlet to the sea. It is almost fifteen years ago when the people of Bihar handed over the reins …
https://state.bihar.gov.in/
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“The investigation goes back to 2018 and is part of a broader probe into high-level graft first unveiled last November, when a former Zelenskyy’s business partner was accused of running a $100 million kickback scheme at the state atomic agency.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for the connection between the 2018 investigation and the state atomic agency kickback scheme.
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“A former deputy prime minister and close associate of Zelenskyy's were also charged as part of the investigation.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for the charges against a former deputy prime minister in relation to this specific investigation.
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.