Growing pressure is building on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to demonstrate stronger accountability as a major corruption scandal poses the most serious challenge to his administration since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Last week, Zelenskyy fired two senior officials and imposed sanctions on several associates after investigators uncovered that $100 million had been siphoned from the national energy sector through contractor kickbacks.

These actions, however, have not eased the political turmoil. After more than three years of war and ongoing power outages caused by Russian attacks, the public is increasingly intolerant of corruption in the energy industry. Many are now urging Zelenskyy to dismiss his influential chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, often viewed as Ukraine’s unofficial second-in-command.

Neither Zelenskyy nor Yermak has been accused of involvement by investigators, but both political opponents and uneasy allies argue that additional high-level accountability is needed to rebuild public confidence. Critics also stress that demonstrating integrity is crucial to maintaining support from Western partners who are essential to Ukraine’s defense and to any future peace negotiations.

Anastasia Radina, head of the parliament’s anti-corruption committee, wrote on Facebook that it is difficult to believe such a scheme could have operated without political protection. She warned that Zelenskyy risks deepening the internal crisis by keeping Yermak by his side. Corruption has long troubled Ukraine, and Zelenskyy was elected on the promise of rooting it out. Two officials from his office, speaking anonymously, said no decision has been made about removing Yermak.

The investigation, led by Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies, found that top officials pressured contractors for kickbacks of up to 15% in exchange for business with the state-run nuclear power company, Energoatom. More than 1,000 hours of recorded conversations revealed coded discussions, including references to a powerful individual identified only as “Ali Baba,” whose identity is still unknown. Following the scandal’s disclosure, parliament approved Zelenskyy’s removal of the energy and justice ministers, and the president’s office sanctioned several implicated associates, including Tymur Mindich, a co-owner of Zelenskyy’s TV production company.

The revelations surfaced just as Russian strikes left millions without electricity, intensifying public outrage. Zelenskyy had already faced backlash earlier in the year for attempting to weaken the same watchdogs now running the investigation. Opposition figures insist it is difficult to believe a scheme of this magnitude happened without Yermak’s awareness, although they have provided no evidence. Yermak has not responded publicly to demands for his resignation.

Reports suggest he has attempted to reinforce his political standing by seeking a meeting with former army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi—now serving as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK—but the request was rejected, according to an official familiar with the matter. Inside parliament, pressure is increasing. Zelenskyy’s sweeping 2019 victory gave him control of roughly two-thirds of the seats, but many members of his own party now favor Yermak’s removal. Some lawmakers are attempting to organize a “national stability coalition” to move beyond political bargaining, though the party leadership says this effort does not reflect their official stance. Discussions on next steps continue.

Yermak’s influence within Zelenskyy’s inner circle is vast. The two first met over 15 years ago when Zelenskyy was a well-known comedian and Yermak was a lawyer entering the media industry. Since then, Yermak has become central to managing Ukraine’s foreign relations, shaping diplomatic strategy with Western allies, and exploring possible ceasefire scenarios with Russia. He has joined Zelenskyy on every international trip since the 2022 invasion, earning a reputation as the president’s most trusted adviser. Domestically, he is considered a gatekeeper with heavy influence over major government appointments. This is not the first time people close to Yermak have faced scrutiny. Two former deputy chiefs of staff, Oleg Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma, resigned in 2024 after being targeted in corruption investigations. Another deputy, Andriy Smirnov, remains in his position despite facing bribery allegations.