Two senior officials from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have been detained on allegations of corruption. Oleg Tokarchuk, deputy head of the SBU in Kyiv, and Igor Brika, deputy head in the Rivne region, are accused of soliciting bribes in connection with a criminal investigation involving a local amber mining company.
The State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) has charged Tokarchuk with demanding $600,000 through an intermediary to close a criminal case against the company, Amber Galbin. Brika is accused of receiving an additional $22,000 from the same company to avoid hindering its operations. Both officials have denied the charges.
On March 18, the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) reviewed the case. Prosecutors requested the detention of both officials, citing the risk of them fleeing or tampering with evidence. VAKS ultimately decided to arrest Brika, allowing him to post bail of 1 million hryvnias (approximately $27,000). Tokarchuk was released under similar bail conditions.
The investigation began after representatives of Amber Galbin reported the alleged bribery to authorities. They claimed that Brika and Tokarchuk were attempting to establish an illegal scheme to benefit from the company’s operations. The allegations surfaced shortly after President Volodymyr Zelensky had called for a cleansing of the SBU to remove officials serving interests contrary to those of Ukraine.
During the court proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence that suggested a series of meetings between the intermediary, Andriy Avdiyevskyi, and the company’s representatives, where the bribe was discussed. Initial demands for the bribe were reportedly set at $700,000 but were later negotiated down to $600,000.
Avdiyevskyi, who is also facing charges, allegedly communicated with Tokarchuk indirectly, referring to him only by his first name during discussions about the bribe. Prosecutors claim that Avdiyevskyi indicated that the initial payment of $50,000 was necessary to initiate the scheme.
In addition to the bribe, Avdiyevskyi was purportedly negotiating with Brika to ensure that the SBU would not create obstacles for the company’s operations. The investigation has raised concerns regarding the integrity of the SBU, particularly in light of ongoing efforts to combat corruption within the agency.
Both Tokarchuk and Brika have maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings. Their defense teams have argued that the funds exchanged were not bribes but rather payments related to existing legal disputes between the companies involved. They have also raised questions about the validity of the evidence presented against them, suggesting that it may have been fabricated.
As the case unfolds, the implications for the SBU and its internal reform efforts remain significant. The ongoing scrutiny of high-ranking officials within the agency underscores the challenges faced in addressing corruption in Ukraine.
Two senior SBU officials have been detained on corruption charges related to alleged bribes from an amber mining company. The case highlights ongoing concerns about corruption within Ukraine's security services.