Security Service head dismisses officials implicated in anti-corruption investigation

Oleksandr Poklad, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, has dismissed two employees who are persons of interest in Operation Carthage, an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).

Source: Security Service of Ukraine (SSU)

Quote from the SSU: "Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Poklad has dismissed two high-ranking SSU officials who have become persons of interest in a National Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation within the framework of Operation Carthage. The SSU is providing full support and facilitating all necessary procedural actions in the specified criminal proceedings."

Details: Poklad noted that the SSU is counting on a transparent, objective and impartial investigation and said he has spoken about this with the heads of NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).

Quote from Poklad: "There is clear and constructive cooperation. In addition, I am in touch with our counterparts from the intelligence services of partner countries. We are doing everything necessary to ensure that these crimes are investigated in other jurisdictions as well. As for the 'Meksykanets' [Mexican] involved in the case, I suggest he come to Ukraine and give himself up to the law enforcement agencies. Otherwise we will find him ourselves, wherever he is hiding. We have the experience. The SSU works and will continue to work only for Ukraine."

Background:

• On the morning of 4 November, NABU conducted searches targeting Anton Kravchuk, Head of the SSU's Main Department of Internal Security.
• NABU reported earlier that in the course of court-mandated searches, one of the senior SSU officials under investigation threatened to use firearms and denied detectives access to the search location. UP sources reported that the official in question was General Serhii Duka, First Deputy Head of the SSU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
• Duka was later detained by NABU officers.
• Members of the criminal organisation exposed as part of Operation Carthage had planned to carry out a violent attack on investigative journalist Denys Bihus because of a Bihus.Info investigation into U420, a retail chain which sold narcotics.
• On the released recordings, the threats to Bihus are voiced by a suspect nicknamed Meksykanets ("the Mexican"). This refers to Russian citizen Yegor Burkin, also known as Yegor Levchenko, the alleged head of the Khimprom transnational drug cartel.

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