On Wednesday morning, November 4, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office conducted searches involving officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The SBU press service reported this, confirming the investigative actions. The agency's statement emphasizes that the searches are taking place "within the framework of a number of criminal proceedings and on the basis of relevant court rulings," issued in accordance with established procedures.
SBU's Position: Cooperation and Demand for Objectivity
The Security Service of Ukraine stated that it advocates for an objective and impartial investigation and is facilitating the procedural actions. Thus, the agency does not deny the fact of the searches, but establishes their legitimacy: according to SBU representatives, the investigative actions are being carried out on the basis of court rulings, which rules out any arbitrary nature of the measures. This statement is important for understanding that there is no official protest within the agency against the searches themselves; instead, the emphasis is placed on their legality and the necessity of impartiality.
NABU's Version: Weapons Threats and Arrival of Special Forces
Earlier on November 4, NABU itself reported conducting a search based on a ruling by an investigative judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). At the same time, the bureau reported obstruction of investigative actions: according to NABU, an SBU official threatened to use firearms and blocked detectives from accessing the search site. Subsequently, SBU special forces arrived at the scene. The bureau presented these circumstances as a fact that, in its assessment, complicated the search, although the procedure itself, as follows from statements by both parties, was initiated on the basis of a court decision.
Context: Operation and Corruption Scheme
According to the investigation, the searches are related to the exposure of an organization that, according to NABU and SAPO, provided illegal benefits to law enforcement officials to ensure the smooth operation of fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses. According to investigators, active officials of the SBU, the National Police, and the Prosecutor General's Office were involved in the criminal activity. According to Ukrainian media reports cited by RBC-Ukraine, this concerns, in particular, the head of the SBU department for the protection of national statehood, General Serhii Duka, and the head of the internal security department, Anton Kravchuk, whose homes and offices were also searched, according to Suspilne.
Significance of the Event
Searches involving active SBU personnel, reportedly including high-ranking officials, represent a rare and high-profile case where anti-corruption bodies are acting against representatives of one of the country's key security structures. The combination of confirmation from the SBU itself and NABU's statements about obstruction creates a picture where both parties record the same investigative actions but diverge in their assessment of the circumstances surrounding them. The further course of the criminal proceedings and potential procedural decisions by judges will be a key factor in evaluating the outcome of this operation.
