Key facts
- President Volodymyr Zelensky fired Deputy Chief of Staff Iryna Mudra on August 19.
- The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating Mudra and others for alleged corruption.
- NABU is conducting a special operation targeting a criminal organization involving senior officials.
- Suspects are accused of laundering Hr 150 million ($3.4 million) in bail money.
- Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak's residence was also searched, and he later resigned.
- The investigations are linked to a $100 million energy sector corruption scandal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his Deputy Chief of Staff Iryna Mudra on August 19, following a corruption investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU). The NABU announced it was conducting a special operation to expose a criminal organization involving senior officials from the President's Office, including a deputy head of the office, lawmakers, and executives from a state bank. These individuals are accused of laundering Hr 150 million ($3.4 million) posted as bail for a suspect in a separate corruption case.
Separately, Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak's residence was searched by anti-corruption investigators. Yermak confirmed his full cooperation with the probe, stating he was not a suspect. Media reports linked the searches to a $100 million energy sector corruption scandal. Zelensky later announced Yermak's resignation.
The European Commission stated that the searches demonstrated the effectiveness of Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies and highlighted the importance of fighting graft for the country's EU accession.