State Border Guard Service Released Video of GPU Searches

On Wednesday, August 17 the State Border Guard Service released a statement to say that the attempts to block the operation of the Service in the times of hybrid war are unacceptable. This comment came following searches carried out by military prosecutors and KORD special police force a day prior.

"The State Border Guard Service is not a political structure, but a law enforcement agency with the main purpose to organize the guarding of the state border of Ukraine. At the same time, we have to draw society’s attention to the fact that the attempts to block the system of organization and control of the border in the times of hybrid war are unacceptable," the statement says.

According to the statement, there is "systematic effort to discredit the top officials of the Service". The State Border Guard Service "has many problems, just like our state in general, but is ready to counter them and be more tough in countering crime at the state border." "However, we can succeed at this only when law enforcement agencies will act together and in the interests of the people of Ukraine, not someone’s private interests," the State Border Guard Service says.

According to the statement, official suspicion to four servicemen at the Chop unit in the case on unlawful deforestation was filed already 1.5 months ago. Spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service Oleh Slobodian said that during the searches prosecutors seized some of the documents, "although all documents related to the case has already been provided" and "the information about everyday activities of the Chop unit is there, and not in the headquarters."

The State Border Guard Service released a video of the searches on August 16.

"State Border Guard Service will address the Prosecutor General with a statement regarding the abuse of power by military prosecutors," the spokesperson said.

The General Prosecutor’s Office informs that the searches were performed in accordance with the court decision as part of investigating a criminal case on illegal cutting of 7,663 valuable trees and selling them abroad, which allegedly caused ₴19 million of losses to the state.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda