Denis Luti, recently appointed as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kharkiv, has come under scrutiny following an investigation revealing significant asset acquisitions by him and his family since 2021, totaling approximately $1 million.
Prior to his current role, Luti served as the deputy head of the SBU in Dnipropetrovsk and had previous assignments within the SBU’s counterintelligence unit in Lviv, as well as overseeing security at the Odesa Maritime Trade Port.
In late 2021, Luti’s wife, Yuliya, purchased two apartments in a luxury residential complex in Odesa, valued at around $80,000. That same year, she also acquired a 2021 Range Rover Velar, priced over $50,000.
While Luti himself did not own any vehicles, he reportedly used a 2020 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG registered under his brother, Ruslan Luti, with a market value of approximately $150,000. In 2023, he received a plot of land in Odesa’s elite Soviynyon area, gifted by his mother-in-law, Galina Dzhugan, a retired teacher.
Additionally, Dzhugan owned a Honda GL 18000 Gold Wing motorcycle, currently valued at around $30,000. In 2024, Luti’s wife became the owner of a townhouse in a gated community near Lviv, with an estimated worth exceeding 6 million UAH.
Simultaneously, Luti’s father, Hryhoriy Luti, acquired multiple plots in the same Lviv region, totaling over 50 acres, and invested in another house within the same community. Hryhoriy Luti, a former SBU employee, currently leases agricultural lands, amounting to 14 hectares.
Reports indicate that Luti also used a 2023 Lexus RX350, registered to Lviv entrepreneur Yanina Rokitska, who has been purchasing properties in the same area where Luti’s relatives have invested. Speculation suggests a close connection between Rokitska and the Luti family, raising concerns about potential asset concealment.
According to media reports, no family members of Luti have been engaged in business activities. In response to inquiries, Luti claimed that the properties were acquired during a period when he was not affiliated with the SBU, a statement that contradicts journalistic observations.
During the investigation, it was also revealed that Luti’s wife has filed for divorce.
Context:
- President Volodymyr Zelensky recently conducted personnel changes within the SBU, affecting leadership in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
- On April 23, Zelensky dismissed Oleksandr Kuts from his position as head of the SBU in Kharkiv, appointing Denis Luti in his place.
Denis Luti, newly appointed head of the SBU in Kharkiv, faces allegations of significant wealth accumulation through family assets. Investigations reveal substantial property and vehicle purchases, raising questions about the source of these assets during his tenure in public service.