Ukraine's Security Service suspends official and sends him to combat zone in response to journalistic investigation

Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), has suspended Illia Vitiuk, the head of the SSU’s cybersecurity department, pending an investigation into information published by the investigative journalism outlet Slidstvo.Info.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine with reference to the SSU press service

Quote: "SSU Head Vasyl Maliuk has suspended Illia Vitiuk, the head of the SSU’s cybersecurity department, from performing his professional duties while the circumstances made public by the Slidstvo.Info journalists are being verified."

Details: The SSU press service further stated that the SSU head has decided that for the duration of the investigation, Vitiuk will serve in the combat unit of the cybersecurity department, which performs defence missions and deals with Russian personnel and equipment directly in the combat zone jointly with the SSU’s Special Group Alpha.

"He has now been sent to this unit and is currently in a zone where combat missions are being performed," the press service reported.

Background:

• Slidstvo.Info investigative journalists discovered that Illia Vitiuk’s wife purchased an apartment with a market value of over UAH 20 million (around US$516,000), but Vitiuk stated in his tax declaration that the apartment only cost UAH 12.8 million.
• On 6 April, the media reported that officials from a military enlistment office had attempted to give a call-up notice to Yevhenii Shulhat, the Slidstvo.Info journalist who worked on the story. 
• The SSU and the Ministry of Defence, together with the General Staff, said they would look into the information published by Slidstvo.Info regarding the attempts to give a call-up notice to the journalist after he published the investigation into Vitiuk.

Support UP or become our patron!