Russia tried to assassinate brother of Zelenskyy's aide
Photo: Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has thwarted an assassination attempt on Denys Yermak, a sniper of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) and the brother of the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said the SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk during a briefing with journalists.
He stated that Denys Yermak currently serves in the HUR's Foreign Legion and operates drones, often working on the front line.
"The plan for the assassination was as follows: Denys was operating in the Zaporizhzhia direction, and as soon as he returned from a combat mission, an explosive device was supposed to go off," Malyuk explained.
Photo: Denys Yermak (screenshot)
The suspect's apartment was under surveillance
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the perpetrator was a young engineer from Kharkiv. He traveled to Kyiv, rented an apartment, and began assembling an explosive device. While he was purchasing the necessary components, the SBU managed to install video and audio surveillance in the apartment and also gained access to his phone.
The suspect worked on the bomb for four consecutive nights. The device weighed 2.5 kilograms and included shrapnel elements and a homemade detonator.
"To destroy a large SUV, 800 grams of explosives is enough. This one had 2.5 kilograms. If it had detonated in the apartment building, there would have been no walls and no people left," emphasized the head of the SBU.
Surveillance on Yermak's brother was conducted by a 14-year-old teenager who was monitoring his house in Kyiv. At the time, the sniper was away on a combat mission, while his wife and two children remained at home. For safety reasons, the family was evacuated.
Assassination was planned ahead of Istanbul talks
According to the SBU, the Russian side planned to carry out the terrorist attack by 3:00 p.m. on May 15 — the same time a key meeting involving Andriy Yermak was scheduled to take place in Istanbul.
"They wanted to blow up the apartment when the perpetrator delivered the package and rang the doorbell. He had a phone wired to the explosive. If the sound of the door opening had been heard on the call, the bomb would have detonated instantly," explained the SBU chief.
He added that it was a classic case of using an unwitting operative — someone who doesn't fully understand what they are being used for.
"The Russians were racing against the summit deadline. But we didn't let them do it," Malyuk concluded.
What we know about Denys Yermak
Denys Yermak, 46, is the younger brother of Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office. The two brothers are eight years apart in age.
Before the full-scale war, Denys worked in the film industry, including on projects with his brother. After 2014, he joined the fighting in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone.
For a time, he served as an external advisor to one of the deputy secretaries of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
In 2020, his name surfaced in a scandal involving leaked audio recordings. At the time, MP Geo Leros, a member of the ruling Servant of the People party, accused Yermak of allegedly "selling government positions." Denys Yermak dismissed the recordings as a doctored compilation, while his brother Andriy claimed it was an attempt aimed at discrediting President Zelenskyy’s team.
At the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Denys volunteered for a territorial defense battalion. His brother Andriy later posted on social media: "I love you, brother. Proud of you. Let’s go! We stand and defend!"
