The head of the SBU Vasily Malyuk first responded to the scandal with Bihus.Info.
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Unfortunately, the implementation of measures to combat organized drug crime led not only to the receipt of information about the involvement of one of the editorial office operators in the distribution of narcotic substances, but also the public dissemination of video materials.
I emphasize that such actions are unacceptable and have already caused a number of personnel decisions. Among other things, I sent a motion for the dismissal of the head of the State Security Service of the SBU, and the President of Ukraine signed a corresponding decree on January 31.
My position is clear – the actions of individual employees cannot negate all the positive results that the SBU had during the war and cast a shadow on each representative of the Service: both those who fight the enemy within the country and their fellow SBU officers on the field. fight their lives for the sake of Ukraine. There must be punishment for any illegal actions,” the SBU said in a statement published on social networks.
Earlier, Bihus.Info stated that the journalists were being monitored by the Department of National State Protection of the SBU.
They say that more than 30 people took part in the operation, and they were identified thanks to video from cameras in the hotel where the editorial office’s corporate event took place.
Journalists reported that the SBU did not answer them whether there was a court ruling on the installation of hidden equipment, and how the wiretapping materials and covert filming became public.
On January 31, the head of the Department of National State Protection of the SBU, Roman Semenchenko, was fired. The Service’s explanation of the dismissal referred, in particular, to “ensuring the unimpeded work of the media.” In a conversation with Bihus.Info, he did not deny involvement in the deal.
In January, a video allegedly showed Bihus.Info employees apparently using drugs appeared on the Internet. Project manager Denis Bigus announced the dismissal of the operators involved, but pointed to signs of eavesdropping and surveillance of members of his team.
After the publication of the Bihus.Info investigation, the SBU stated that among the clients of drug dealers were employees of the publication, and one of the operators was involved in a drug case. However, the Service’s statement does not provide details or explanations about the surveillance “deal.”
At the same time, the SBU noted that they had opened a case on the illegal use of special means of obtaining information. They also recalled the dismissal of the head of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood of the SBU.
On February 6, the Rada summoned the head of the SBU Vasily Malyuk with a report against the background of information about the intelligence service wiretapping journalists of the Bihus.Info project.
Before this, the head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yurchyshyn, spoke in the hall on this topic, reports MP Zheleznyak.
In addition, the Office of the Prosecutor General instructed the DBI to investigate the case of surveillance of Bihus.info journalists.
Considering that law enforcement officers are likely to be involved in the commission of this criminal offense, the pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the DBI,” the statement says.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.