Zelensky fires cyber security chief of Ukrainian intelligence service accused of corruption

government of ukraine The dismissal of the cybersecurity chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was announced through a decree this Wednesday. ilya vitiukwhich is being investigated Corruption,

Now the case against the former official’s personal finances dates back to the beginning of the month, when on April 4 investigative media sliding,Information He said that his family their profits increased significantly Since his appointment to office. He also told that he was married to many people. Property For approximately US$645,000, which also includes an apartment in a luxury residential complex in Kiev, which his wife bought at a price below market value.

Since then, the National Anti-Corruption Agency is keeping an eye on the officer.

However, after the journalist in charge of the investigation condemned the reprisals against him by the SBU in collusion with war recruitment agents, the organization announced Witiuk’s suspension until the facts were clarified.

The prosecutor’s office has already potentially opened a criminal case. Abuse of functions and obstruction of a journalist’s professional activities,

Ukraine has a long history of corruption, which is why it was ranked 122nd out of 180 in an index prepared by Transparency International in 2021.

Another most controversial case of recent times is that of the Agriculture Minister. Mykola Solskyalso accused of being part of a conspiracy that was to happen About 2,500 hectares of state land was illegally grabbed., before it comes into the portfolio. The Anti-Corruption Office estimates its total amount to be around seven million euros.

Additionally, the agency is also investigating him for trying to illegally transfer another piece of land, in this case, worth around 4.5 million euros.

All of these events occurred between 2017 and 2021, when Solsky served as head of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Land Policies, before his appointment to the ministry.

As a result of these suspicions, the Supreme Court in this case issued a preventive arrest order for sixty days last Friday, which can, however, be avoided by the payment of bail of 1.78 million euros.

On the other hand, there were also related dismissals within the Defense Ministry last year Irregular purchase of military equipment In terms of war with Russia, which would almost 36 million euros.

According to the investigation launched by the SBU, a ministry official signed a contract to purchase a consignment of artillery projectiles, but those funds were never transferred to the account of the foreign company that would provide them. Later, the procurement office announced the signing of a more advantageous contract to obtain similar projectiles directly from the supplier, however this agreement was ignored and the previous contract was pursued through an intermediary company, resulting in 30 % more value received.

(With information from Europa Press)