President Volodymyr Zelensky said Yermak had submitted his resignation and that he would consider a replacement on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Yermak confirmed that investigators had searched his premises and said he was fully cooperating. He has not been named as a suspect.
His departure comes amid a widening investigation into high-level corruption that has fuelled public frustration and shaken parts of Ukraine’s political establishment, the Reuters news agency reported.
"Russia is eager for Ukraine to make mistakes," Zelensky said in a video message. "We won’t make any. Our work goes on. Our struggle goes on."
He added: "We have no right to fall short, no right to retreat or turn on one another. If we lose our unity, we risk losing everything – ourselves, Ukraine, and our future. We must stand together. We must hold our ground. There is no other choice."
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) announced a major probe into an alleged USD 100 million kickback scheme at the state atomic energy company involving former top officials and a onetime business partner of Zelensky, Reuters reported.
Poland's Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Friday that Warsaw’s support for Ukraine remained unchanged, but urged transparency amid the high-profile anti-corruption investigation.
He said he hoped Ukraine's four-year "heroic defence" against Russia's invasion is not undermined by corruption allegations, which he warned could be exploited by forces hostile to Kyiv.
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Source: PAP