статті треба читати мовою оригіналу
Court of Zelensky rocked by aide’s ‘thirst for power’Senior officials in Ukraine are increasingly alarmed at the president’s reliance on Andriy ¬Yermak, his chief of staff
exclusiveMaxim Tucker, Kyiv
Friday June 07 2024, 7.00pm BST, The Times
At a Nato airbase in Belgium, President Zelensky celebrated his greatest achievement by greeting five of Ukraine’s new F-16 pilots. Looming over his shoulder, carefully positioned for the cameras last week, appeared the man who represents his greatest flaw.
As Zelensky’s first elected term drew to a close, senior government, military, law enforcement and diplomatic sources, many of whom requested anonymity, expressed alarm at his growing dependence on Andriy ¬Yermak, his chief of staff, who is ¬accused of amassing personal power and usurping democratic processes.
Since the introduction of martial law in 2022, which enables Zelensky to remain in office until the war’s end, ¬Yermak’s authority has surpassed that of all of Ukraine’s elected officials bar the president. Some sources went so far as to describe him as the “de facto head of state” or “Ukraine’s vice-president” in a series of interviews.
Diplomatic sources complained that he exercised complete control over ¬access to the president, with G7 ambassadors who hoped for an audience presented with Yermak instead.
The president’s office dismissed the criticism as “propaganda attacks”, insisting Zelensky regularly met ambassadors but was often out of the country or had more pressing engagements. The administration argues that the criticism stems from Yermak’s direct but efficient management style, pointing to his success in initiatives that include corralling international partners into a peace summit in Switzerland next week.
“In this job it’s hard to stay friends with everyone,” a spokesman for Zelensky’s office said. “But President Zelensky is the one who makes all the key decisions.”
Military officials, meanwhile, have accused Yermak, 52, of keeping General Valery Zaluzhny away from the president, and eventually orchestrating his dismissal as head of the armed forces in February. Yermak, they claim, considered Zaluzhny a rival to his authority.
“Those in uniform are seldom happy with political decisions,” a presidential spokeswoman said. “Valery Zaluzhny was not dismissed, he has been appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom, which signifies a high level of trust.”
