The Andriy Yermak corruption case has captivated Ukraine with a tale almost too strange to believe. Once the second most powerful figure in the country and the trusted right-hand man of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Yermak has plummeted from the heights of political influence to crowdfunding his own bail money, all while facing accusations of embezzling millions and reportedly consulting a fortuneteller on critical decisions of state.

His dramatic downfall has reopened old wounds for Zelensky and reignited difficult questions about corruption within the president’s inner circle.

The Rise of a “Gray Cardinal”

For years, Yermak operated as Ukraine’s predominant power broker, a behind-the-scenes figure whose influence touched nearly every corner of government. Until late last year, the 54-year-old served as Zelensky’s chief of staff, a role he held for almost six years.

An old friend of the president, Yermak drew sharp criticism from opponents who accused him of exploiting Russia’s invasion to consolidate power in his unelected position. Detractors charged that he meddled in nearly every aspect of the war effort, wielding authority far beyond what his title formally allowed.

A Sudden and Dramatic Fall

That towering influence came crashing down in November. Yermak abruptly resigned after his home and office were raided as part of a sweeping corruption investigation that has ensnared several members of Zelensky’s inner circle.

The president moved quickly to publicly distance himself from his closest confidant. Yermak, for his part, proclaimed his innocence but effectively vanished from public life, his once-constant presence suddenly gone.

The Headache Returns

Corruption scandals, however, have a habit of haunting Ukrainian presidents. Just as Zelensky was beginning to regain his footing, buoyed by momentum in the war and renewed support from European allies, Yermak surged back into the headlines.

Last month, he was arrested and jailed, accused of laundering millions of dollars through a luxury housing development outside Kyiv. While Zelensky has so far managed to weather the broader investigation, the bizarre details of the allegations against Yermak have proven impossible for the public to ignore.

The Fortuneteller at the Center

What has truly captured public attention is not just the money, but the mysticism. In court, prosecutors made a startling claim: that Yermak had regularly consulted an astrologer to guide major political decisions, including the appointments of top officials.

According to prosecutors, Yermak had saved the woman’s contact information in his phone under the cryptic label “Veronika Feng Shui Office.” The revelation set off a wave of reactions:

• Outraged lawmakers introduced legislation to ban occult services.
• A parliamentary commission summoned the fortuneteller, Veronika Anikievych, to testify, though she has not yet appeared.
• Anikievych, who also goes by Veronika Danylenko, took to Facebook to defend Yermak, suggesting the case served those seeking to overthrow Zelensky.

The episode has lent the scandal a surreal quality, blending high-stakes corruption with the unexpected world of astrology and feng shui.

Sweeping Allegations

The investigation did not begin with Yermak alone. It originated with allegations of massive theft from Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear power giant before expanding to encompass claims that Yermak laundered money through the luxury development.

Yermak has categorically denied everything. He rejects both the graft allegations and the claims that he consulted a fortuneteller on official matters, maintaining his innocence on all fronts.

Crowdfunding His Way Out

Perhaps no detail captures the depth of his fall more vividly than how he secured his release. In a striking turn for a man who once commanded enormous power, Yermak went cap in hand to crowdfund his bail money from supporters.

According to Ukrainian media, it took him several days to raise $3.5 million from roughly 300 people and entities. Having posted bail, he now wears an ankle bracelet and is barred from leaving Kyiv without direct permission from investigators.

A Curious Trip to the Front

Even under these restrictions, Yermak has remained difficult to pin down. In a phone call last week, he told The New York Times that he was on his way to the front line to support Ukrainian troops.

He declined to answer further questions by phone, citing a poor connection, and delegated written questions, including one about who had approved his front-line travel, to his lawyer, Ihor Fomin. In a written statement, Fomin said Yermak was abiding by his pretrial conditions and continuing his work offering legal aid to people affected by the war, asserting that any related travel was carried out within the proper procedural framework.

Mounting Pressure on Zelensky

While Yermak’s saga might seem like a surreal sideshow for a nation fighting for survival against a nuclear-armed neighbor, its political implications are real. The case adds fresh pressure on Zelensky, who only recently steadied himself after a turbulent year marked by the corruption scandal, battlefield setbacks, and a push from Washington to end the war at nearly any cost.

Although Ukraine’s anticorruption agencies have not directly implicated Zelensky, uncomfortable questions linger about how he could have remained unaware of corruption among his close friends and aides. Adding intrigue, leaks describing the luxury development reportedly designated one mansion for “Vova,” a common nickname for Volodymyr. Who exactly this “Vova” is remains unclear.

A Ticking Time Bomb?

Analysts warn that the affair carries lasting risks. One Ukrainian political analyst described the Yermak case and related investigations involving former members of Zelensky’s circle as a ticking time bomb, with the only question being when it might detonate and how much damage it could inflict on the president.

The solidarity currently surrounding Zelensky, according to a former Ukrainian official, is less a personal endorsement than a reflection of a broader consensus: that any visible cracks in national unity would only embolden Russia. The official noted that street protests last summer, sparked by Zelensky’s attempt to weaken anticorruption agencies, demonstrated the strength of Ukrainian society, and that citizens would not forget the scandal once elections eventually resume. Zelensky’s term technically expired in 2024, but Ukraine’s Constitution prohibits elections under martial law.

A Delicate Balancing Act

Ukrainians appear to be performing a careful mental calculation. As political analyst Mykola Bielieskov put it, people clearly want justice, but in a way that does not undermine Zelensky as supreme commander and chief diplomat during an existential war.

Interestingly, some observers see a silver lining in the arrest. Rather than discrediting Ukraine’s anticorruption efforts, which are vital to its urgent push to join the European Union, the Yermak case has in some ways strengthened the country’s credibility.

The investigation, supporters argue, showcases Ukraine’s commitment to the rule of law and the independence of its anticorruption bodies. One lawmaker from Zelensky’s own party, who chairs the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, framed the arrest as a positive sign, noting that such a scandal would be unthinkable in an authoritarian country. In his view, the fact that these cases surface at all proves that the “organism of society is alive.”

Fortunate Timing for the President

The timing of Yermak’s arrest has, in many ways, worked in Zelensky’s favor. The Ukrainian leader has appeared increasingly confident as his military has carried out major drone strikes on oil infrastructure deep inside Russia.

Several developments have helped shift attention and bolster his position:

• The war in Iran has diverted global focus away from Ukraine, while Zelensky has stepped back into the spotlight by offering Ukrainian expertise to Persian Gulf countries facing Iranian attacks.
• An election in Hungary unseated Prime Minister Viktor Orban, long Ukraine’s staunchest adversary within the European Union.
• A brutal winter, during which much of Kyiv endured without electricity or heat, has given way to spring.
• Despite recent Russian bombardments of Kyiv that have killed dozens, Ukraine has maintained relative stability along the front line.

As a result, Ukrainian society appears far more focused on the relentless threat of new Russian strikes, and on growing fears that the country is running short of interceptors to stop Russian ballistic missiles, than on the antics of “Veronika Feng Shui Office.”

The Story Is Far From Over

Yet Yermak’s tale is not finished. He will eventually return to court for further hearings, and his fortuneteller may still appear before lawmakers. Lingering questions about how much contact, if any, he still maintains with his old friend Zelensky are likely to persist.

The Andriy Yermak corruption case stands as a remarkable chapter in Ukraine’s wartime story, one that blends serious allegations of theft and money laundering with elements so strange they border on the absurd. For Zelensky, it represents both a political liability and, paradoxically, a demonstration of his country’s democratic resilience.

As the war grinds on and the legal proceedings continue, the fate of the man who was once the muscle behind the president remains uncertain. What is clear is that his fall, from indispensable power broker to a figure crowdfunding his own freedom, will be remembered as one of the more astonishing reversals in recent Ukrainian politics.