Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the resignation of his top aide Andriy Yermak on Friday, just hours after anti-corruption investigators conducted an early-morning raid on Yermak’s apartment. The search, carried out by Ukraine’s state corruption bureau, marks one of the most significant blows yet to Zelensky’s inner circle as Kyiv faces mounting pressure to address deep-rooted corruption.

Yermak, who has served as Zelensky’s chief adviser and played a central role in shaping Ukraine’s diplomatic strategy since 2020, also headed Kyiv’s delegation pushing for an internationally backed peace plan. His resignation comes amid a widening investigation that has already forced out two ministers, reflecting growing internal instability as Ukraine enters its third year of war support from the West.

The timing is politically sensitive. Ukraine has received $131 billion in U.S. assistance since 2022—most of it security-related—while Washington continues pressing Kyiv toward structured peace negotiations with Russia. Yermak’s exit has prompted Zelensky to quickly reorganize his negotiating team, appointing Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to lead a new delegation as diplomatic maneuvering intensifies.

Yermak’s abrupt departure underscores the ongoing tension between the government’s anti-corruption promises and the entrenched networks investigators continue to uncover. While he has not been formally charged, the raid and his immediate resignation signal that Ukraine’s leadership is bracing for additional political fallout.

The development adds to growing scrutiny over Kyiv’s wartime governance and complicates Zelensky’s efforts to maintain Western confidence at a time when both military and political outcomes remain uncertain. With investigations widening and diplomatic negotiations shifting, the resignation of one of Ukraine’s most influential power brokers marks a pivotal moment in the country’s internal and international trajectory.