Gray cardinal or true ruler? Head of the President’s Office, Yermak, is consolidating power more deeply in Ukraine

Politico has published a scathing article about the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak — a man who is increasingly described not just as the “gray cardinal” of Ukrainian politics, but as a ruthless political puppeteer whose shadow looms over every step of President Zelensky.

The article emphasizes that Yermak has long ceased to be just the head of the President’s Office — today he wields influence comparable to Zelensky himself and, according to rumors, even hungers to take his place.

Former Zelensky spokesperson Yuliya Mendel said that Yermak “latched onto” Zelensky from the very beginning, infiltrated his inner circle, and, with his manipulative cunning, “outwitted” the previous head of the President’s Office, Andriy Bohdan. It is claimed that Yermak cleared his path by removing many inconvenient officials and replacing them with people personally loyal to him. This has already caused “internal alarm” among Ukraine’s Western partners, who remain silent for fear that open criticism will be used by Moscow.

According to a former minister who had a sharp conflict with Yermak, the current head of the President’s Office is such a skilled manipulator that he has learned to anticipate Zelensky’s wishes — a president who is known for avoiding the substance of decisions and prefers to have everything “served to him on a silver platter.” This is how Yermak took the keys to power, deftly operating in the “gray zone” between the president and everyone else.

Yuliya Mendel claims that Yermak built his connections back in the 1990s, when he was involved in the shady circles around Kyiv’s first nightclub, which was frequented by “gangsters and pro-Russian politicians.” Later, he allegedly provided services at the Sanahunt boutique — helping wealthy Ukrainian oligarchs buy exclusive goods, which essentially became the first step in his rise to the heights of power.

Although Yermak publicly denies aspiring to the presidential seat, more and more facts and testimonies suggest his ambition to fully subjugate power to himself and turn Zelensky into a convenient puppet in his political games.