SSU and National Police officers helped figures in "Carthage" abduct and torture people: NABU releases footage of beating in Kyiv. VIDEO
SSU and National Police officers helped a criminal group abduct, beat, and torture people in Ukraine and Europe by providing access to the "Safe City" database, surveillance cameras, and information about investigations. They received money in exchange for "protection".
This is detailed in NABU’s investigation as part of Operation Carthage, Censor.NET reports.
According to detectives, members of the criminal organisation were involved in torture for hire, abductions and the extortion of millions of dollars from people held in basements, as well as other violent crimes. They operated under the protection of law enforcement officers.
How the attack in Kyiv unfolded
According to NABU, on July 7, 2026, three masked attackers wearing tactical clothing assaulted a man near the exit of a sports club in central Kyiv.
Investigators say two of them prevented him from resisting by holding his neck and leg, while the third struck him with a metal pipe prepared in advance.
Preparations: a profile, locations and cameras
According to investigators, several weeks before the attack, those implicated in the case were already gathering information about the victim with help from law enforcement officers and planning where to carry out the assault. A profile of the intended victim was found on the phone of "Criminal", whom NABU identifies as the organisation’s leader.
During preparations, "Boxer" and "Criminal" discussed possible locations for the attack:
"All right. Also, take a look there. We could get this one outside the gym, by the way. That would work perfectly."
According to NABU, "Criminal" also repeatedly received images of vehicles and the victim from "Safe City" cameras. The system was accessed through the account of an officer in the SBU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
The Bureau says the correspondence shows that "Criminal" had this exclusive access to real-time vehicle monitoring.
According to investigators, on the day of the attack, "Criminal" messaged the attackers to say the victim would soon leave the gym:
"Had a good workout. A little recovery now, then he may head out in about 15 to 20 minutes."
Reporting on the "job" and providing cover
According to NABU, "Boxer" reported that the job had been completed just minutes after the attack. Those involved also discussed the aftermath:
"Blood is running from his arms and legs. He can’t walk. How satisfying."
Just hours later, "Consultant", identified by investigators as a deputy head of a section in the Kyiv Region Criminal Investigation Directorate, pointed out shortcomings in the operation and reassured the person who commissioned the attack: no operation to intercept the attackers was underway, and they had been evacuated to the surrounding region.
"About the cap. They’re 15 minutes from the location. They’re already driving through the region. No interception operation on our side," he said.
"They’ve arrived, everything’s OK. Evacuated," the recordings state.
The next day, "Consultant" reported to "Criminal" on the investigation’s progress:
"Hooliganism. They beat a businessman with an iron bar. Article 296, Part 4."
He added: "Hold on, don’t rush. I’m carefully covering the tracks."
Other incidents
- NABU notes that this was not an isolated incident. "Pasha" and "Boxer" had already featured in a case involving the abduction of a coal industry businessman, with allegations of holding a person in a basement and extorting $5 million. The group also carried out similar assignments abroad, including in Vienna.
In another incident, "Pasha" reported to "Criminal" through video messages about an attack on an office. In a voice message dated March 20, 2025, he says:
"Bro, I swear, there’s a f#cking lot broken there, a f#cking lot. I just, well, it’s… what Den did, and then what I did as well. We weren’t filming anymore… The legs, you know, just rags."
Information leaks and "protection"
According to investigators, constant leaks of official information fostered a sense of impunity. When a victim contacted the police, those who commissioned the attacks already knew who was handling the case and reassured their accomplices that the situation was under control. NABU also alleges that law enforcement officers passed "Criminal" information even about investigations against him abroad.
According to NABU, correspondence shows "Criminal" arranging payments to "the service".
- "Everything in life has a price, especially protection," the investigation comments. Investigators established that between October 16, 2025, and April 25, 2026, a cryptocurrency wallet specified by "Criminal" received 3.75 million USDT. The Bureau alleges that, in exchange for this money, SBU officers not only turned a blind eye to the organisation’s activities but also helped remove obstacles.
NABU also alleges that the organisation’s members knew their activities were illegal and prepared contingency plans in advance. One of them threatened to release sensitive information that could expose unlawful activities by law enforcement officers.
According to investigators, the organisation also attempted to undermine NABU and SAPO’s independence in the summer of 2025.
