Power Struggle: Yermak Sought to Remove the SBU Chief Before His Resignation

Former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak actively sought the dismissal of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Maliuk just days before his own resignation, according to an investigation by Ukrainska Pravda.

This was reported by ThePublic.info, referring to the UP article “Ali Baba and the Forty Statesmen: How Yermak Lost the Seat to the Right and Avoided Suspicion.”

What Happened Before?

According to journalists, while NABU detectives and SAP prosecutors were conducting searches at the residence of the then-head of the Presidential Office on Shovkovychna Street, intense political reassessment and internal power negotiations were underway inside the government.

The operation known as “Midas” — initially intended to demonstrate institutional independence during wartime — exposed another side of reality: testing the resilience of a figure who symbolized the core of the power structure, and at the same time, becoming a challenge for the president himself.

Who Attended the Morning Meeting at the Presidential Office?

As reconstructed by reporters, around 9 AM the following officials arrived at the Presidential Office:

• Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov

• SBU head Vasyl Maliuk

• NABU director Semen Kryvonos

• SAP chief Oleksandr Klymenko

The presence of Maliuk was not accidental, sources say. During the week leading up to his resignation, Yermak was reportedly pushing for Maliuk’s dismissal, claiming the SBU chief failed to protect him and “overlooked” the Midas operation.

On November 28, journalists reported that anti-corruption officials conducted searches in the government quarter, including at Yermak’s workplace. Cameras captured around ten members of anti-corruption agencies entering the territory.
Yermak confirmed the searches at his residence and said he was willing to cooperate with investigators. As of that morning, he had not yet been served with a notice of suspicion.

Shortly afterward, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Yermak’s dismissal and said the institution was facing a “reset.” He added that consultations would soon begin to determine who might take charge of the Presidential Office.

Later, Yermak stated that he had resigned and intended to join the frontlines, following the corruption scandal and NABU’s investigative actions at his home.