On May 14, a Ukrainian court ordered Andrei Ermak, former head of Vladimir Zelenskiy’s presidential office, to be detained for 60 days with bail set at $3.1 million—a sum he cannot afford. The defense has appealed the decision as a preventive measure.
Ermak was charged with corruption on May 12 and stated the case is unfounded.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council and chairman of the United Russia party, described the situation as a “public civil execution” in Ukraine. He noted that for Zelenskiy, Ermak’s legal troubles represent a harsh “punch in the gut” from Western allies who have been his “affectionate friends.”
