The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced on Monday that it had detained representatives of the Ukrainian National Anti -Corruption Office (NABA) and in the intervention carried out dozens of inspections. One representative of the Office was detained by the SBU based on suspicions of spying for Russia and another for suspicion of business links to the Russian Federation. Other representatives of NABa had, according to SBU custody to the forbidden Party of the Ukrainian politician on the run. According to Reuters report, TASR reports this.
Naba said the intervention exceeded the State Security issues and also included unrelated allegations, such as traffic accidents a few years ago. NABA claims that the security forces have carried out at least 70 inspections in connection with 15 employees of the Office without approval by the court.
Detecting serious suspicions
“In most cases, the reason for these steps is the participation of individuals in traffic accidents,” the Office said in a statement. He added that some cases also relate to ties to Russia. He further stated that although the risk of Russian infiltration remains relevant, this cannot be a reason to “stop the work of the whole institution”. DPA reported that Naba boss Semen Kryvonos has canceled his business trip to Britain.
The SBU said she had detained a secret agent working for Russian intelligence services inside Naba, who handed over information to his manager officer in at least 60 cases. In addition, she also detained a high -ranking detective NABA on suspicion that he worked as an intermediary in the sale of his father’s industrial cannabis to Russia. According to SBU, some of the high -ranking representatives of Naba had a custody of MP Fedir Chrystenko, who is expected to escape from Ukraine after the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022.
International criticism of interventions
The DPA claims that the SBU has also carried out a tour at the Specialized Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
According to Transparency International, the searches have shown that the authorities are putting massive pressure on fighters against corruption in Ukraine. In her statement, she also stated that this is “attempts to break down the anti -corruption system”. At the same time, she called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Greeny to publicly guarantee the independence of the anti -corruption bodies and call on the SBU and the Prosecutor General to stop such “illegal pressure”.
DPA also informs that the media suspects that the raid is a reaction of Greeny to NAB and SAP investigations against the former Minister of National Unity Olexiya Chernyšov, who is allegedly close to Ukrainian President.
