Yermak regularly communicates with Zelenskyy in Koncha-Zaspa, - media
Despite his dismissal from the post of Head of the Presidential Office, Andrii Yermak continues to maintain contact with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This is stated in an article entitled "The illusion of power. What fatal mistake could Zelenskyy make" by Inna Vedernikova, editor of the domestic policy section of ZN.UA, as reported by Censor.NET.
Yermak and Zelenskyy continue to communicate
"Yermak hasn't gone anywhere. He just doesn't sit in the office anymore and doesn't manage processes 24/7. But he's constantly on the phone, and in the evenings he's at the president's house behind the fence in Koncha-Zaspa. That's all. The rift between Zelenskyy and Yermak is only possible in one form — as a pursuit of a deal with the investigation and testimony against each other. Either they are together, or it's like that," the article says.
The erosion of the role of the head of the Presidential Administration
That is why, according to the journalist, Zelenskyy's choice will most likely be linked to the further erosion of the real role of the head of the Presidential Administration.
"According to sources, Zelenskyy is ready to manage the office directly, reducing it to technical functions and redistributing the analytical unit among existing structures, including the NSDC apparatus. In such a model, the OPU will be headed not by a political heavyweight, but by a convenient bureaucrat — the conditional deputy head of the office, Ihor Brusilo, or the trusted head of the apparatus, Maria Vitushok," Vedernikova writes.
Yermak's people also remained
"The pause taken by the president also determines the caution of the old-new entourage. Despite the fact that Zelenskyy has clearly begun to see more frequent visits from faction leader Davyd Arakhamia, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Head of the Defence Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov and others, no one is rushing to write off Yermak, as before," the article says.
In addition, as the author notes, the fact that Yermak continues to retain his influence is evidenced by the fact that the former head of the Presidential Administration's protégés continue to hold important positions in the government.
"This is evidenced, in particular, by the delay in replacing a number of heads of regional state administrations — people appointed by the former head of the Presidential Administration, which was reported by the media a few weeks ago. Sources claim that the deputy head of the Presidential Administration, Viktor Mykyta, could have submitted the necessary lists to the president for signature long ago, but has not done so, manoeuvring and maintaining close contacts with the relevant Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba — a protégé of Yermak, who continues to hold his position," Vedernikova writes.
In addition, Philip Pronin, head of the Financial Monitoring Service, also remains in his position.
"The activity of this pocket executor of Yermak in blocking NABU investigations — including the protracted verification of one-day companies that posted bail for the main figures in the "Mindy films" — has long been of interest to anti-corruption authorities. However, according to sources, the absence of suspicion remains the main argument for the president not to touch Yermak's people: let NABU and SAP first prove that everyone around him is corrupt," the article says.
Yermak's dismissal
- On the morning of 28 November, the media reported that NABU and SAP were conducting searches at Andriy Yermak's home.
- NABU later officially confirmed the investigative actions.
- Yermak stated that there were no obstacles for the investigators.
- The media reported that the suspicion against Yermak may be related to the Dynasty cooperative.
- Later, Zelenskyy announced in an address to the nation that Andriy Yermak had written a letter of resignation from his position as head of the President's Office.
- According to media reports, on 5 December, Yermak visited the central office of the Foreign Intelligence Service. He may have been negotiating cover documents to leave Ukraine.
