Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced “purges” at the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
He said that on Monday, February 16, he heard briefings from acting SBU chief Yevhen Khmara and his deputy, Oleksandr Poklad, on countering Russian operations.
“Oleksandr Poklad will also be responsible for cleansing the Security Service of Ukraine of those who hold positions but serve not Ukraine, but other interests. We need tough action and a truly strong Security Service of Ukraine. I expect results,” Zelensky said in his evening address.
On February 16, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said it had completed its pretrial investigation into a high-ranking SBU official.
SAPO did not name the official, but Ukrainska Pravda reported it was Illia Vitiuk.
Based on the probe, conducted together with agents from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), investigators say that in December 2023 the suspect bought an apartment for 21.6 million hryvnias and registered it to a family member.
The contract, however, listed the price as 12.8 million hryvnias.
To justify the source of the funds, the family member said they earned the money as a sole proprietor providing legal and consulting services.
Investigators found that such payments did reach the sole proprietor’s accounts, but from an individual suspected of embezzling funds from the state rail company Ukrzaliznytsia as part of an organized criminal group.
SAPO said it could not confirm the lawful origin of the remaining 8.8 million hryvnias spent on the apartment.
In January, Ukraine’s president changed the SBU leadership.
Yevhen Khmara was appointed acting head of the Security Service.
Before him, the post had been held since July 2022 by Vasyl Maliuk.
Announcing his resignation, Maliuk said he would remain within the SBU and focus on carrying out “asymmetric special operations of global scale.”
