Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators searched premises connected to security-service officials in a case concerning alleged protection for scam call centres. Investigators allege systematic bribery across law-enforcement institutions and obstruction during a search. The security service says it supports an impartial investigation and is cooperating with the proceedings.
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) searched premises connected to Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) employees on 4 November. The searches form part of proceedings involving security-service officials. NABU said its officers acted under a warrant issued by the High Anti-Corruption Court, Ukraine’s specialist court for corruption cases.[1], [2]
The anti-corruption agencies alleged that a criminal group systematically paid senior law-enforcement officials to protect scam call centres and other illegal businesses from intervention. They named the SBU, National Police and Prosecutor General’s Office among the institutions whose officials were allegedly involved. The case extends a wider inquiry that reached senior prosecution officials in September. Then-prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko lost his post and left the country.[1]
NABU alleged that a senior SBU official obstructed a search and threatened to use a firearm; it also said security-service special forces arrived. The SBU said it supported an objective, impartial inquiry and was cooperating with the proceedings. The allegations remain unproven in court. The institutions have clashed before: SBU arrests of NABU employees over alleged Russian ties in 2025 were followed by the release of two detectives and closure of that case.[1]
