Zelenskyy Chief Budanov Demands Swift Action After Anti-Corruption Raids
Five senior law enforcement officials received formal suspicion notices as Ukraine’s NABU dismantled a bribery network protecting illicit businesses.
By Marta Gray ·
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated on 5 November that recent anti-corruption probes require prompt and decisive action. Budanov issued his comments in response to high-profile investigations conducted by Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies under Operation Carthage.
The investigation centers on a criminal organization that paid regular bribes to senior law enforcement officials. In exchange, the officials shielded fraudulent call centers and other illegal enterprises from interference. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives served five members of this group with notices of suspicion on 4 November. Prosecutors from the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) provided procedural supervision for the operation.
Andrii Osipov, a previously convicted organizer of the criminal group, recruited serving senior officials from the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General's Office, and the National Police. Osipov also enlisted figures from the criminal underworld to participate in the illicit activities. The network allowed fraudulent call centers targeting Ukrainian citizens and foreigners to operate freely. The group also engaged in drug trafficking, the illegal manufacture of counterfeit cigarettes, and the production of counterfeit foreign currency.
Investigators determined that members of the organization were involved in assaults, abductions, and inflicting bodily harm to protect their interests. The pre-trial investigation established that the bribery system was designed to ensure these illegal businesses faced no regulatory or criminal interference from state authorities.
Budanov emphasized that the law applies equally to all individuals. He noted that positions, ranks, and powers cannot serve as grounds for avoiding accountability. The head of the President’s Office stated that corruption and other crimes must be properly assessed under the law, and those responsible must be held accountable.
The president’s office chief expressed expectations for an objective and independent investigation. He called for fair decisions in the legal proceedings. Budanov did not specify the exact measures he envisioned for the decisive action he demanded, but he stressed the urgency of the situation given the high-profile nature of the officials involved.
The revelations mark a significant step in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to combat corruption within its security and law enforcement sectors. The operation highlights the reach of the criminal network and the specific roles played by senior state officials in facilitating illicit business operations.
