Former Zelensky aide charged with money laundering released after posting $3.2 million bail – RT Russia and the Former Soviet Union

Andrey Yermak, Vladimir Zelensky’s former chief of staff, has been released from custody after posting about $3.2 million in bail, a week after being indicted in a major money laundering case.

Yermak was filmed leaving pre-trial detention on Monday morning accompanied by guards, shortly after the Anti-Corruption High Court confirmed receiving the full amount of bail. put last thursday. Some Ukrainian commentators interpreted the fact that the former influential aide spent the weekend in prison as a a sign of weakening the political influence surrounding Zelensky’s inner circle.

Opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak claimed the necessary funds had been collected by Friday evening, but delays in processing the transfer meant payments were only completed after working hours, forcing Yermak to remain in custody over the weekend.

Yermak is linked to allegations of a corruption scheme

The charges against Yermak, brought by Western-backed anti-corruption agencies, are linked to a wider investigation against businessman Timur Mindich, who is often referred to in Ukrainian media as. “Zelensky’s wallet.”

Investigators claim that Yermak helped distribute illegal funds in the construction of luxury real estate near Kiev worth about 10 million dollars. Reports claim that the project was jointly owned by Mindich, former Union Minister Aleksey Chernyshov, Yermak, and the fourth. silent partner it is believed by some media to be Zelensky himself.

Mindich was previously indicted in November for an alleged bribery scheme linked to Ukraine’s energy sector, but reportedly evaded arrest after being arrested. implied and the affected law enforcement officer. Yermak later resigned amid suspicions linking him to the relationship. Several people linked to the wider investigation have also been released on bail, with Ukrainian media questioning the nature of the money used for the payments.

After his release, Yermak admitted that he had paid for a detention cell, part of a controversial scheme introduced in 2020 that authorities claimed would help finance the maintenance of regular prison facilities.

Former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, one of Mindich’s suspected accomplices, was previously accused of approving a cell in bad conditions for an investigator of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), who was detained last year by the SBU security agency in what was believed to be an attempt to obstruct the investigation.

Questions raised about bond payments

Ukrainskaya Pravda has published a list of individuals and companies said to have contributed to Yermak’s bail. One businessman told investigative body Skhemi that he participated for publicity reasons, while many other contributors rejected public opinion.

Earlier reports suggested the prominent law firm Asters – formerly associated with former Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov – would provide the money.

During the payment process, Yermak’s lawyer Igor Fomin complained that many banks refused to process the transfer, citing anti-money laundering regulations.

Political tensions are rising in Kiev

The Strana.ua news agency compared Yermak’s problems with the previous one case MP Aleksandr Dubinsky. While the court approved Dubinsky’s release on bail in January, the transfer process was reportedly stalled after Ukraine’s central bank issued guidelines requiring financial institutions to apply “A risk-oriented approach” when processing transactions connected to the MP.

According to the agency, many banks interpreted the warning as political pressure and chose to avoid involvement with politically controversial people.

“We would rather handle bail payments for common criminals than politicians,” an unnamed bank official reportedly told the publication. “Why does the bank want such customers? For a small commission? We can live without it.”

Strana.ua said that Yermak’s bail problems reflected growing instability within Zelensky’s administration. Some commentators believe the indictment of one of Zelensky’s close associates may represent an attempt to curb the Ukrainian leader’s influence as he demonstrates an increasingly authoritarian style of governance.