Yermak still influences staffing decisions and internal processes in Office of President – media

Yermak’s influence remains: details from the media

Former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak still retains decisive influence over staffing decisions and internal processes on Bankova.

This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources, Censor.NET informs.

Details

Sources in political and business circles said that Yermak continues to control most of the appointees in the Presidential Office and has a full understanding of internal processes.

"One signal from the president, and everyone will stop picking up the phone to AB (Andriy Borysovych - ed.). But that signal is not there. On the contrary, there is a signal confirming Andrii’s authority," a source said.

Another source in the government vertical claims that Yermak’s influence has not disappeared, but has merely become less public: "Yermak is not there – but he is. It is just that now he needs to send not 10 text messages, but five. And trusted people will control everything else."

Yermak’s people

The publication’s sources also pointed out that a number of key figures in government have retained their positions, while staffing decisions remain under Yermak’s influence.

"Svyrydenko is still there. Kuleba is still there. Kravchenko is still there. Pronin is still there. Even Kiper is still there. The HUR is AB’s protégé. The casting for the head of the SZR is also AB’s. What changed after Yermak’s resignation? Did Budanov come to the Presidential Office? Well then, let him try to replace any of his deputies – more precisely, Yermak’s deputies," the source said.

One experienced political figure also remarked ironically that without the president’s permission, it is impossible to "gain access to all brigades or enter the Bar Association."

"We thought the problem was Yermak, so we were fighting Yermak, but it was the president," one important member of Zelenskyy’s team told the author of this article two months after the head of the Presidential Office resigned.

At the same time, some of the surveyed sources said that after the changes in the Presidential Office, "it has become easier to breathe" and there is now greater access to the leadership.

However, according to the sources, this deconcentration of influence may be temporary and does not mean a real change in the decision-making system.

Yermak’s dismissal

On the morning of 28 November, the media reported that NABU and SAPO were conducting searches at Andriy Yermak's residence.
Subsequently, NABU 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 submitted his resignation as head of the Presidential 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 for leaving Ukraine.
Earlier, it was reported that former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak has continued to use the services of the State Protection Department after his dismissal in November 2025.
Former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak has become the head of one of the committees under the Ukrainian National Bar Association.