SSU Confirms Searches of Senior Officials by Anti-Corruption Agencies
Ukraine's security service acknowledged investigations involving General Serhii Duka and other directors, following reports of a confrontation during the raids.
By Anthony Lawson ·
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) confirmed on Tuesday, November 4, that anti-corruption authorities conducted searches involving its employees. The agency stated it is cooperating with investigators and supports an objective look into the matters covered by the criminal proceedings. This confirmation follows reports that a senior official threatened to use a firearm during the operation.
The SSU identified the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) as the agencies carrying out the actions that morning. The statement noted that the investigative steps were part of several criminal proceedings and were executed under relevant court orders. However, the SSU did not comment on specific details regarding a reported confrontation between its staff and the detectives.
NABU and SAPO claimed that a senior SSU official threatened to use a gun and blocked detectives from entering premises where they intended to work. The anti-corruption agencies said their detectives were acting lawfully under a warrant issued by an investigating judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court. Ukrainska Pravda reported that the official involved in the incident was General Serhii Duka. The SSU's official response left the reported threat and obstruction unaddressed.
Separate information points to other senior figures involved in the morning's activities. Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that searches involved Anton Kravchuk, who heads the SSU’s Main Internal Security Directorate. The SSU press service referred broadly to searches involving employees in its initial confirmation but did not name Kravchuk specifically in that release.
Oleksandr Kovalchuk, the First Deputy Head of Directorate D within the SSU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood, was also identified as an official involved in the searches. Both Kravchuk and Kovalchuk were named by the outlet based on source information. The SSU's public statement confirmed the general scope of the investigation without detailing which specific departments or individuals were targeted beyond the general reference to its employees.
Sources indicated that the searches might connect to the activities of Andrii Osipov, a figure nicknamed “Criminal” who had previously been detained by NABU and SAPO. The sources described this connection as a possibility rather than a confirmed fact. The SSU acknowledged its cooperation with the investigative authorities in its statement but did not address the potential link to Osipov reported by journalists.
The investigative actions took place on the morning of November 4. The SSU's press service issued its confirmation on the same day. The agencies involved cited court orders for the searches, while the SSU emphasized its support for an impartial investigation into the criminal proceedings.
