Drug Trafficking from Afghanistan to Ukraine Involving Brother of Zelensky’s Chief of Staff

DID Press: Russian state news agency RIA Novosti claimed Denys Yermak, the younger brother of Andriy Yermak—Ukraine President’s chief of staff—was accomplice in a drug trafficking operation from Afghanistan to Ukraine in the summer of 2024.

According to the report, Yermak, along with two other individuals, entered Kabul via the route Ukraine–Moldova–Azerbaijan–Dubai. After receiving the shipment, they reportedly returned to Ukraine through Turkey. It is said that the drugs were transported in the suitcases of his companions.

The RIA Novosti report includes travel documents, photos of Denys Yermak wearing traditional Afghanistan clothing, and an audio file of his conversation with his assistant, Natalia Kuzmenko. In the audio, he requests a ticket to Kabul for three people with one suitcase, and on the return trip, reservations for each of the three suitcases. He also requests separate hotel rooms.

Denys Yermak is a member of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) and has previously served as a sniper in the battles in Donbas.

While the authenticity of this report has not been independently verified, observers note that if true, it could indicate a possible link between political, intelligence, and global drug trafficking networks. According to the analysis, Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, by exploiting its border infrastructure, tourism cover, and weak oversight, has once again become a key hub for international drug and human trafficking—an issue that poses a threat beyond Ukraine and Afghanistan, impacting regional and global security