Volodymyr Zelensky wants to restore the declaration of assets for all employees of the Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU. The Speaker announced on Saturday, November 7, that he had approved a bill to that effect. He asked Parliament to adopt it quickly, after the revelations of the anti-corruption operation Carthage.
SBU heritage declarations
The stated aim is to make the assets and lifespan of agents controlable. Zelensky wants to apply rules comparable to those of other administrations. His intervention is aimed at all employees of the service, without detailing exemptions.
It is a legislative draft, not a new obligation that has already entered into force. The speech does not specify the timing of the statements or how they are published. These provisions should be examined in the text submitted to Members.
New staff decisions announced
Zelensky claims that agents have already been dismissed and announces further decisions. It calls for a full investigation into alleged crimes and violence. The President distinguished these accusations from the SBU military operations, whose results he welcomed.
The announcement extends the case revealed on 4 November by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the NABU, and the specialized prosecutor’s office. On 5 November, these institutions notified five persons of suspicion. One senior SBU official and two senior police officers were among them.
According to the investigators, public officials have reportedly protected fraudulent call centres and other illegal activities for compensation. The case includes suspicions of drug trafficking, counterfeiting and violence. Reports of suspicion do not constitute convictions.
International cooperation sought
Zelensky also referred to the group called Khimprom and said that he had approached the issue with the United States. He claims to have information on activities in Poland and a project to expand to the German synthetic drug market. These presidential statements are not valid for judicial confirmation in both countries.
The procedure has already led to detention measures. On Friday, 6 November, a Ukrainian court ordered the detention of a former SBU general, with the possibility of bail. Two police officers and another suspect were also detained this week.
Individual responsibilities remain to be established. The return of heritage declarations now depends on Parliament’s consideration of the draft.
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