Putin and Zelensky
By Ab Susan
Kyiv was rocked by a fierce overnight barrage of Russian drones just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a major shake‑up in his administration, removing his long‑time chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak ¹. The sudden move sent shockwaves through the capital, coming at a time when the city was already bracing for a fresh wave of Russian aggression.
Earlier on Friday, investigators from Ukraine’s National Anti‑Corruption Agency (NABU) and the Specialised Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor’s Office raided Yermak’s apartment as part of a sweeping graft probe. Minutes later, Zelensky declared in a televised address that Yermak had submitted his resignation and signed a decree to dismiss him, effectively ending the powerful aide’s tenure.
The attack itself was brutal: Russian drones slammed into residential districts, killing at least one civilian and wounding a dozen others, while massive power cuts left large parts of the western capital in darkness for over nine hours Emergency crews scrambled to rescue those trapped in collapsed buildings, and the air alert lingered long after the explosions stopped.
Yermak, 54, had been accused of involvement in a $100 million kick‑back scheme tied to the strategic energy sector, a scandal that sparked widespread public anger just as Russia was intensifying its strikes on Ukraine’s power grid .Critics described him as the “second‑most influential man in the country,” a figure who could gate‑keep access to the president and influence almost every decision.
In the face of the crisis, Zelensky rallied the nation, warning that “if we lose our unity, we risk losing everything: ourselves, Ukraine, our future.” He stressed that Russia wants Ukraine to make mistakes, but “there will be no mistakes on our part.” The European Union publicly backed Ukraine’s anti‑corruption agencies, praising their work amid the investigation.
With Yermak out, the talks with Washington will now be led by security council secretary Rustem Umerov, according to senior Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian negotiators are still expected in the United States this weekend to discuss the U.S. peace plan, even as the war grinds on and the capital reels from the night’s devastation.
