Ukraine's anti-corruption court removes ankle monitor from ex-Zelensky chief of staff Yermak on medical grounds

Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has extended for 60 days the procedural obligations imposed on Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Presidential Office, who is suspected of legalizing criminally obtained assets. At the same time, the court partially granted a request from a prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), declining to extend the requirement that Yermak wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

According to a statement from the court's press service, the decision was based on explanations from an independent medical specialist indicating that continued wearing of the electronic monitoring device could pose a threat to the person's life and health. This circumstance was cited as one of the grounds for the court's refusal to extend that particular obligation.

Remaining obligations

Despite the removal of the bracelet, Yermak remains subject to several other procedural restrictions. He must appear before the detective, prosecutor and court upon every request, notify authorities of any change in his place of residence or work, and refrain from leaving previously designated localities. He is also required to surrender his passport or passports for foreign travel, diplomatic passports, and other documents allowing entry to or exit from Ukraine to the relevant state authorities. Additionally, Yermak is barred from communicating with individuals specified in the court's ruling — other suspects and witnesses in the case — regarding the circumstances described in the notice of suspicion.

Andriy Yermak was one of the most influential figures in the Ukrainian presidential administration and faces suspicion in connection with a corruption case involving the legalization of criminally obtained property.