ZELENSKYY'S TOP AIDE YERMAK STEPS DOWN

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Andrii Yermak from his post as Head of the President's Office.

Source: Zelenskyy in his evening address

Details: Zelenskyy reported that Yermak has submitted his resignation and that the President's Office is preparing for a reboot.

Quote: "I am grateful to Andrii for ensuring that Ukraine's position in the negotiation process was always presented as it should be. It was always a patriotic position. But I want to avoid any rumours and speculation.

As regards the new head of the Office, tomorrow I will hold consultations with those who could lead this institution.

There will be talks soon, and our representatives will take part: the chief of the General Staff, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council and our intelligence service. And when we all face such an external challenge – the war – we must remain strong within our own country. One hundred per cent of our strength must be focused on defending Ukraine. Everyone must act now in the interests of our state and defend our state. This principle is unchanging. Meetings with the American side will take place very soon."

Update: The decree dismissing Yermak has been published on the president's website.

Read more: St Andrew the First-Called Apostle: how Andrii Yermak became Zelenskyy's right-hand man

Background:

• On 28 November, Ukrainska Pravda reported that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) were conducting searches at Yermak's office in the government district. Ukrainska Pravda journalists managed to record around 10 employees from NABU and SAPO entering the government district.
• Later, NABU and SAPO officially confirmed that they were conducting searches at Yermak's office.
• Yermak said that anti-corruption investigators were searching his home and that he would cooperate with the investigation.
• Ukrainska Pravda has established that Yermak has not been formally served with a notice of suspicion.
• Poland said that corruption investigations in Ukraine are "bad news" from the Polish point of view, as they do not make the current peace talks any easier.

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