«200 thousand dollars for Maluk»: court remanded Andriy Osipov, who demanded 1 million dollars from a Russian for “solving the issue” with the SBU

«200 thousand dollars for Maluk»: court remanded Andriy Osipov, who demanded 1 million dollars from a Russian for “solving the issue” with the SBU

NABU and SAP suspect Andriy Osipov of demanding $1 million dollars in a bribe from Russian citizen Alexander Kuznetsov. The money was allegedly meant to save the man from extradition from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

This was reported by Slidstvo.info.

According to the investigation, another defendant told Kuznetsov that the bribe amount was coordinated by Osipov with his “long-time acquaintance” Vasyl Maluk, who at that time was the first deputy head of the SBU. The events took place in the 2022 year.

Moreover, Kuznetsov was assured that $200 000 of the total sum — personally for Maluk.

SAP prosecutor Andriy Ponomarenko said that during searches of Alexander Kuznetsov, in the 2022 year, an SBU officer named Roman advised the Russian to contact the former deputy head of the Luhansk regional administration Eduard Lozovskyi. He, according to the SBU officer, was to help the man avoid criminal prosecution and extradition from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

The investigation established that for “solving the issue,” Lozovskyi initially asked $2 million. At the same time, Andriy Osipov allegedly managed to reduce the price to $1 million thanks to his connections in the SBU.

During a phone conversation, Lozovskyi told Kuznetsov that Osipov had coordinated the amount with his “long-time acquaintance” Vasyl Maluk, who at that time had been appointed to the position of first deputy head of the SBU.

Here is a fragment of the phone conversation that the prosecutor read in court:

Lozovskyi: I will have to give this million away in any case. But I am telling you the truth. You will be torn apart by other people. That’s all.

Kuznetsov: I just have doubts that Andriy is talking there with someone from the “high ranks,” with Maluk.

Lozovskyi: I tell you again, I personally was with him in the cabinet.

Kuznetsov: Why do they never leave me alone?

Lozovskyi: Before the war, before his dismissal, I personally was in his cabinet. Second, I tell you again: from these 800 000 200 000 — personally him.

The SAP prosecutor claims that case materials indicate a personal acquaintance between Osipov and Maluk. In conversations, the man refers to himself as part of Maluk’s “team” and uses the phrase: “I am with V.V.” (using the initials of Vasyl Vasylovych).

Additionally, according to the investigation, in Osipov’s recordings he discusses Maluk’s wife Yuliya and mentions a shared past, calling him a “hooligan from Korostyshiv” who had achieved a high rank.

One of the conversations recorded by Osipov is identified by the prosecutor as a dialogue with Maluk.

Osipov’s interlocutor complained about an extreme workload after his appointment: constant NSDC meetings, presidential videoconferences, etc. This conversation occurred in 20 July 2022, two days after Vasyl Maluk was appointed acting head of the SBU.

Journalists contacted the Security Service of Ukraine with questions about whether Vasyl Maluk was involved in the bribe and whether he knew Andriy Osipov. We will publish the response.

In addition to Maluk, Osipov’s conversations mention one of the heads of a department of the SBU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, former head of the SBU Administration in Zhytomyr region Serhiy Lysak, generals Sergiy Duka and Illya Vityuk.

Also, according to prosecutor Ponomarenko, Osipov’s driver is an off-duty employee of the SBU’s operational unit.

In an interview with a journalist, the prosecutor said that SBU employees in this criminal case were not questioned: “Until yesterday, the investigation of this case occurred completely covertly. In general, no investigative actions were performed openly.”

According to Ponomarenko, the investigation has not yet established the fact of money being transferred to SBU employees.

Andriy Osipov was detained in 30 July. The prosecutor said that a day earlier his surroundings informed him of interest from law enforcement agencies and advised him to leave Ukraine within the next two weeks.

31 July, the High Anti-Corruption Court chose preventive measure for Andriy Osipov in the form of detention without alternative in the form of bail.

Osipov was born in Korostyshevsky district of Zhytomyr region. He has repeatedly faced criminal liability, including for violent crimes. In Getcontact he is listed as, among other things, “Andryukha Criminal.”

According to the investigation, Osipov was part of a criminal group operating in a city in Zhytomyr region. In addition, law enforcement authorities recorded his meeting with Kyrylo Ostrovsky, whom the prosecutor calls the “boss” of Lukyanivka pre-trial jail.

During searches of Osipov, a combat pistol, a carbine, more than 700 rounds of ammunition, brass knuckles, and weapon holders were found. On the man’s car, state license plates not registered to any vehicle were installed.