"With his bear-like look and immense clout, Andriy Yermak towered over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for years literally and figuratively. A former copyright lawyer who collaborated with District 95, a comic troupe that propelled Zelenskyy to stardom, the 54-year-old Yermak became Ukraine's grey cardinal after the former comedian won the 2019 presidential vote. list of 4 itemsend of list While chief of Zelenskyy's staff, Yermak played an outsized role he was widely considered as vice president and vice prime minister."
"He was a top peace negotiator and made strategic decisions about the war with Russia that led to disastrous miscalculations and losses, according to a four-star general. Yermak formed an entire system of appointing people in state administration, ministries and military agencies, Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of Ukraine's general staff of armed forces, told Al Jazeera. Such concentration of power turned Yermak into a seemingly unsinkable, Machiavellian figure as he gained notoriety among Ukrainian officials and top brass, Western leaders and diplomats for his abrasive manners, reluctance to compromise and heavy-handed handling of subordinates."
"And yet, Yermak's team of negotiators managed to convince Washington to remove some of the most contentious parts of the 28-point peace plan that many in Ukraine and the West called a carbon copy of the Kremlin's wish list. But on Friday, Zelenskyy fired Yermak after months of Western pressure and speculation about his role in a $100m corruption scandal, an hours-long search of his apartment and a 30-minute-long tantrum with cursing, reproaches and accusations, according to a Ukrainian daily."
Andriy Yermak held extraordinary influence as chief of staff, acting as a de facto vice president and vice prime minister with broad appointment powers across state and military bodies. He led peace negotiations and made strategic wartime decisions blamed for miscalculations and losses. His concentrated authority produced notoriety for abrasive, uncompromising leadership and heavy-handed treatment of subordinates. His negotiating team removed contentious items from a 28-point peace plan. Yermak faced months of Western pressure and corruption allegations, followed by an apartment search and a public outburst, culminating in his dismissal by President Zelenskyy.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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