Ukraine's anti‑corruption agencies suspect Security Service official of extorting US$300,000

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies have reported that they have completed an investigation into a Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) officer and two other individuals in a case of extortion of US$300,000.

Source: National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU); Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO); Ukrainska Pravda; Security Service of Ukraine

Details: A SAPO prosecutor took the decision to complete the pre-trial investigation in a case against a head of department at the SSU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood and two other individuals who had been caught red-handed extorting US$300,000 in unlawful advantage.

The investigation established that the unit headed by the suspect had been carrying out procedural actions on the instructions of an investigator at the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine in criminal proceedings with respect to the organisation of an illegal border crossing channel intended to smuggle out individuals evading conscription into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Going through two intermediaries (one a former SSU officer), the department head demanded US$300,000 from the defendant in the case in exchange for destroying part of the case files and disclosing the circumstances already established. If the defendant refused, he threatened to take measures to prosecute that person on more serious charges, the anti-corruption officials say.

The investigation documented that the individual received part of the agreed sum – US$72,000.

The department head’s actions fall under Art. 368.4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (taking a bribe), and those of the accomplices fall under Art. 27.5 (type of accomplices) and Art. 368.4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

It is stated that as of now, on behalf of the SAPO prosecutor, NABU detectives have opened the case file to the defence for review.

Ukrainska Pravda has information that this case, including the fact that notices of suspicion had been served, had not been previously reported.

Update: The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has issued a statement clarifying that the case concerns an incident that was uncovered in 2024.

The SSU says that the bribe-taker was caught red-handed by the SSU’s Main Directorate of Internal Security and investigators from the National Police.

"This criminal case was subsequently handed over, based on jurisdiction, to the investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation, and later, given the large amount of the bribe, to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine," the SSU stated.

Background:

• On 21 July, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General's Office conducted approximately 70 searches targeting National Anti-Corruption Bureau employees in various oblasts of Ukraine. The Bureau reported that the investigations concerned 15 NABU employees and were conducted without court warrants; most of them were charged with involvement in road accidents, and some were accused of possible connections with Russia.
• The SSU also launched an unscheduled inspection of the status of the protection of state secrets.
• The SSU and the Prosecutor General's Office reported having served NABU employees with several notices of suspicion by the evening. 
• On 22 July, MPs recommended that parliament adopt draft law No. 12414 at second reading, which provides for amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, with the committee's proposals. These amendments will make the anti-corruption agencies dependent on the decisions of the prosecutor general.
• NABU and SAPO believe that draft law No. 12414, which was supported by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) committee, will effectively destroy SAPO’s independence and subordinate the activities of NABU and SAPO to the prosecutor general.

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