By Anthony Marcus for Eurasia Business News, July 22, 2025. Article n°1647.

Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has conducted a sweeping operation involving more than 70 searches and the arrest of at least two officials from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) over allegations of ties to Russia.

One arrested official is accused of spying for the Russian FSB, having passed classified information about Ukrainian law enforcement officers and other individuals to Russian contacts on over 60 documented occasions. This individual reportedly worked in NABU’s elite, secretive “D-2” unit and is suspected of coordinating with Dmitry Ivantsov, a former deputy head of security for ex-President Yanukovych who is aligned with Russian intelligence. Another detainee faced accusations related to illicit business connections with Russia and suspicions of leaking information to Russian agents.

The raids have drawn criticism from NABU and Transparency International, which view the crackdown as excessive and harmful to Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts, noting that many search premises involved unrelated matters such as past traffic incidents.

Transparency International Ukraine stated in a press release that “such actions are especially damaging during wartime, as they erode the institutional resilience vital to the integrity and development of the state.”

The G7 ambassadors in Kyiv expressed serious concerns about the situation, emphasizing support for independent anti-corruption institutions. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s parliament has passed legislation curbing the independence of key anti-corruption bodies, a move opposed by agency leaders who warn it undermines reform efforts vital for EU integration.

The operation comes amid heightened fears of Russian infiltration but has sparked controversy over the balance between national security and the integrity of Ukraine’s anti-corruption fight.

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© Copyright 2025 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1647.