Shabunin's team claims revenge of authorities over searches of NABU ex-detectives: SSU reaction

Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) NGO said that the searches of former detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau were not actually conducted in the case of Ukrzaliznytsia, and in the case of a suspected high treason MP from the pro-Russian ex-OPZJ party Fedir Khristenko. Activists consider the situation to be revenge on the part of the authorities. In commentary to LIGA.net the Security Service of Ukraine called this statement manipulative.

The AntAC claims that the searches on September 25 are "part of [president] Zelenskyy's campaign" to discredit the National Bureau and the Organization: among the former detectives whose homes were searched is Taras Likunov, brother of Olena Shcherban, a member of the Center's Board and a lawyer in the case of a NABU official suspected of aiding the aggressor state Ruslan Magamedrasulov.

According to the organization, it was Likunov who led the NABU case on the misappropriation of funds in tenders for Ukrzaliznytsia against Artem Shylo, former SSU official and former advisor to the presidential Office.

Currently, Likunov and other ex-detectives who were searched are internal security officers of UZ.

In the morning, the SSU published a report that the searches were conducted exclusively at Ukrzaliznytsia officials and private entrepreneurs who are involved in the relevant criminal case. The special service also objected to the NABU's prior notification, stating that the searches were not related to pressure on the independence of anti-corruption agencies

However, the AntAC later published a court ruling on the search of Likunov's place, which stated that the procedural actions were being carried out within the framework of the case of MP Khrystenko, and not in relation to the proceedings on abuses at Ukrzaliznytsia.

In the comments to LIGA.net, the SSU called the Center's publication "manipulative and actually reflecting the position of the defense", given that the AntAC board member Shcherban is Magamedrasulov's lawyer.

The Security Service indicates that it, together with the State Bureau of Investigation and the Prosecutor General's Office, is checking informationon criminal schemes at Ukrzaliznytsia, which were obtained during the investigation of the case related to MP Khrystenko.

• Аccording to sources of Ukrayinska Pravda, the aforementioned Magamedrasulov was one of the key NABU employees who documented the businessman from the Privat group and co-owner of Kvartal 95 Tymur Mindich, a friend of president Zelenskyy.