The SBU organized a collection of money for Duka’s bail: employees are required to contribute 150 thousand UAH — ZN.UA – Center for Investigative Journalism

The Security Service of Ukraine organized a collection of money for the bail of SBU General Serhiy Duka, who is suspected of involvement in a criminal organization uncovered by NABU and SAP as part of the “Carthage” operation. The High Anti-Corruption Court arrested Duka with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 65 million UAH. Employees from various SBU units, including in the regions, are being involved in the collection.

This was reported by ZN.UA, citing sources in law enforcement agencies.

According to sources, operatives, employees of the Department for Protection of the National Statehood, and units of the economic direction are being obligated to transfer 50 thousand hryvnias each. Sector chiefs, deputies, and department heads must contribute 150 thousand hryvnias each.

In the regions, SBU employees are also being instructed to transfer their own money directly to the High Anti-Corruption Court’s account, after which they must take screenshots of the payment documents and send them to their supervisor. Department heads compile lists of those who have transferred money and report to leadership in Kyiv. Employees are promised their money will be returned in cash, but when and how the return will occur has not yet been disclosed.

Inside the SBU they are also discussing a meeting planned for Wednesday, 11 November, between the heads of four departments and the head of the Fourth Directorate of the SBU, Taras Tymoshchuk. Employees speculate that cash might be handed out during the meeting to be later used to post the bail through representatives of commercial entities. Sources also report that on 6 November SBU employees were paid an advance four days earlier than the usual schedule. Interlocutors link this to the collection of money for Duka’s bail.

“Many SBU employees fighting at the front are shocked by the amounts mentioned in the deal of the former head of the SBU department Artem Shyl. And now they’re being forced to chip in their own money for the bail of the ‘prince of schemes,’” ZN.UA comments.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted for the first time to NABU and SAP’s uncovering of the criminal organization as part of the “Carthage” operation, whose members included officials from the SBU, the National Police, and the Office of the Prosecutor General. He promised that personnel decisions would be made and said he had approved a bill to reinstate asset declarations for all SBU employees.

Reminder:

On 4 November, NABU and SAP reported that as part of the “Carthage” operation they uncovered a criminal organization whose members had organized the systematic provision of undue benefits to high-ranking law enforcement officials for the unhindered operation of fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses. At least 12 people were involved, including from the SBU, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Police, and the criminal underworld.

On 4 November, NABU officers, as part of the “Carthage” operation, detained the first deputy head of the Department for Protection of the National Statehood of the SBU, General Serhiy Duka. The High Anti-Corruption Court placed him in custody for 60 days with bail set at 65 million UAH.

NABU and SAP announced suspicions against five participants of the criminal organization uncovered in the “Carthage” operation: the founder and leader of the criminal organization Andriy Osipov, known as “Kryminal,” the first deputy head of the Department for Protection of the National Statehood of the SBU Serhiy Duka, deputy head of the department of the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Main Department of the National Police in Kyiv region Oleksandr Demyanchuk, first deputy head of the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine Volodymyr Tsenov, and an athlete from Zhytomyr region Vitaliy Rybalko, known as “Bokser.”