NABU announces searches of 15 employees, director cuts short visit to UK, returns to Ukraine
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has announced searches of 15 of its employees, and Bureau Director Semen Kryvonos has interrupted his visit to the UK and is returning to Ukraine, the NABU said on Telegram on Monday.
"As of now, at least 70 searches of NABU employees have been conducted by agents of the State Security Service of Ukraine (PGO) and prosecutors. According to available information, investigative actions are being carried out without court orders," the report said.
According to NABU, the grounds for these actions in the vast majority of cases are the participation of individuals in road accidents. However, some employees are accused of possible ties to the aggressor country. The agency notes that these facts are not interconnected. In addition, as reported, a planned inspection of the State Service for Special Communications, which covers the technical infrastructure of the NABU, is underway.
In parallel, an unscheduled inspection of the state of protection of state secrets, initiated by the SBU, has been launched. It concerns NABU employees who have access to state secrets and are involved in covert investigative (detective) actions.
As noted, based on the results of this inspection, the SBU may receive information about the planned operational measures and ongoing investigative actions of the NABU and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
"Disclosure of this information may disrupt ongoing investigative actions and investigations," the message states.
In addition, according to the agency, during one of the searches, physical force was used against a NABU detective despite the absence of resistance on his part. The agency reported that it is conducting an internal inspection of the circumstances of the events and is clarifying the legal grounds for the actions, including the use of force against the employee.
"At the time of the beginning of the above-mentioned actions, the NABU Director was on a business trip to the United Kingdom, where, in particular, a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs was scheduled. The Director decided to immediately interrupt the visit and return to Ukraine," the Bureau noted. At the same time, NABU emphasizes that the risk of the presence of agents of influence of the aggressor country remains relevant for any government body.
"This cannot be a reason to stop the work of the entire institution," the Bureau said.