Important "There are no people in my circle who could pressure me": ex-minister Klymenko denied that 'Carthage' suspects tried to bribe him

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and former Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said he did not receive proposals from the suspects in NABU’s "Carthage" operation. The recordings of their conversations referenced the possibility of making arrangements with the minister so that the Interior Ministry would not push to ban new formulas of psychotropic substances.

The former minister Ihor Klymenko said this during a meeting with journalists, reports Slidstvo.Info.

"I don’t even know who they’re talking about, because there are no such [people] who could have pressured me. Moreover, not even from my close circle, not even from a distant circle, there were no people who could have influenced me. No one approached me at all. I did not have such conversations with anyone," Klymenko said regarding an alleged bribery attempt by the 'Carthage' suspects.

Note that Ihor Klymenko’s name appeared in conversations of participants in the large-scale NABU and SAP special operation "Carthage."

In particular, in the released recordings the narcotics syndicate figures — 'Khimprom' founder Yehor Burkin nicknamed 'Mexican' and Andriy Osipov nicknamed 'Kryminal' — discussed the work of the U420 store network, which sold psychotropic substances.

They complained that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was appealing to the Ministry of Health with a demand to add new chemical formulas of psychotropic substances to the list of prohibited substances. In one excerpt 'Mexican' asks his interlocutor to arrange it so that 'either the MIA ministers or the Ministry of Health ministers don’t put sticks in our wheels.' To that end they discussed the possibility of bribing ministers.

At the same time, as NABU detectives unit head Oleksandr Abakumov explained to Ukrainska Pravda, intermediaries proposed involving people who allegedly had influence over Klymenko in the arrangements, rather than communicating with him directly.

"The minister’s name was indeed discussed by the head of 'Khimprom.' He saw resolving his problems through the minister, so that the minister would not take measures to ban the formulas of their drug. But 'Kryminal,' who was supposed to convey this proposal, told him: 'Why resolve the issue directly with the minister? Let us buy in to those people who have the ability to influence him.' So there was no direct communication with Klymenko," Abakumov said.

According to the detective, NABU is clarifying who exactly claimed to have influence over the interior minister and planned to receive a share of the drug business.

According to the released tapes, after speaking with contacts in the MIA 'Kryminal' informed 'Mexican' that those contacts proposed entering into a partnership and receiving 50% of the profits. That condition outraged 'Mexican.' He explained that he already spends 500 thousand dollars monthly on other "protection" payments. Instead, he proposed reducing the partners’ share to 30%: first pay 500 thousand dollars once for a postponement, and after five months start giving them 30% of the profits.

Also, according to Ihor Klymenko, in April the National Police conducted a special operation, and as a result no U420 store is currently operating.

Note that previously each new formula of a synthetic drug had to be added separately to the list of prohibited substances. But on 2 October 2026 the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 1213, which changed this approach: now entire groups of substances with defined chemical features are controlled. This means manufacturers can no longer so easily evade the ban by merely changing the chemical formula of a drug.

What preceded this

On 4 November NABU and SAP exposed a criminal organization that specialized in fraudulent call centers, drug distribution, and counterfeiting foreign currency. Its leaders were repeat-offender for violent crimes Andriy Osipov ('Kryminal') and 'Khimprom' narcocartel founder Yehor Burkin ('Mexican').

NABU detectives established that members of the criminal organization were also implicated in contract torture, kidnappings, extorting millions of dollars in basements, and other violent crimes.