Ukrainian court extends procedural obligations on former presidential chief of staff Yermak, drops monitoring bracelet on medical grounds
Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (ВАКС) extended for 60 days the procedural obligations imposed on Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Office of the President, who is suspected of legalization of criminally obtained property. The investigating judge partially granted the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office's (SAPO/САП) request, but declined to extend the obligation for Yermak to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet after an independent medical specialist concluded continued use could pose a threat to his life and health.
Key points
- ВАКС extended Yermak's procedural obligations for 60 days
- The court did not extend the electronic monitoring bracelet obligation on medical grounds
- An independent medical specialist concluded continued bracelet use could threaten Yermak's life and health
- Yermak remains a suspect in a case involving legalization of criminally obtained property
- The investigating judge partially granted a SAPO prosecutor's petition
- Yermak must appear on request, notify of any change of residence or work, stay within designated localities, surrender travel and diplomatic documents, and refrain from contact with other suspects and witnesses named in the ruling
Why it matters
A former senior presidential official continues to face a criminal investigation led by Ukraine's specialized anti-corruption bodies, with the case still active after the court partly granted the prosecutor's request. By dropping the electronic bracelet requirement on medical grounds while keeping the other restrictions in place, the court narrowed the coercive measures still applied to the suspect.
What happened
On 15 September 2026, the High Anti-Corruption Court (ВАКС) extended for 60 days the procedural obligations imposed on Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Office of the President. Yermak is a suspect in a case involving the alleged legalization of property obtained through criminal means. The investigating judge partially granted a petition from a Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (САП) prosecutor. The court declined, however, to extend the obligation for Yermak to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, citing a conclusion from an independent medical specialist who found that continued use of the device could pose a threat to his life and health. The remaining obligations require Yermak to appear before the detective, prosecutor or court on request; to notify the investigator, prosecutor and court of any change in his place of residence or work; to stay within previously established localities; to surrender his passports for travel abroad, diplomatic passports and other documents granting the right to leave and enter Ukraine; and to refrain from communicating with other suspects and witnesses named in the investigating judge's ruling regarding the circumstances set out in the suspicion notice.
Background
The High Anti-Corruption Court (ВАКС) is the specialized Ukrainian court handling cases investigated by anti-corruption bodies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO/САП). Under Ukrainian law, procedural obligations imposed on a suspect can include movement restrictions, surrender of travel documents, appearance requirements and electronic monitoring.