Butusov on SSU employees raising funds for General Duka’s bail: no such precedents in intelligence service history

Yurii Butusov, commander of the UAV company of the 23rd Assault Regiment within the National Guard's 2nd Khartiia Corps, commented on reports that fundraising had been organized among Security Service of Ukraine employees to post bail for Serhii Duka, the former first deputy head of the SSU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood, who has been released from pretrial detention.

He made the remarks during a broadcast with journalist Iryna Romaliiska, Censor.NET reports.

Response to centrally organized fundraising among SSU subordinates

"First, I want to say that I am stunned that, on orders from the SSU leadership, 1,600 employees each contributed UAH 50,000 or UAH 150,000 towards bail. I know of no such precedents in the history of intelligence services; there has not been a single one in world military history. This is the first time I have seen a general force his subordinates to raise money for his bail at short notice. An intelligence operation unprecedented in its scale and audacity," the serviceman said.

He noted that if personnel could raise sums potentially exceeding their official incomes so easily and quickly, this raised a logical question about how they might carry out other internal instructions.

"You know, I am simply shocked that they collect such sums on orders, sums that far exceed their means… Well, that is a large portion of their salary; UAH 150,000 — perhaps, I don't know, that is obviously most of their salary. If they raise money for bail so quickly, how might they carry out other orders to collect money? Perhaps other orders also come down and are carried out in the same centralized way? And won't the people, the business owners whom these conscientious and disciplined uniformed SBU servicemen are supposed to oversee, suffer as a result? Because who will ultimately be made to provide this money? Where? I haven't seen any fundraising account details online for SSU employees collecting money for their boss. I don't even understand where they got it — their rainy-day savings? Where did they get all this money, such a large sum, together so quickly? So, first, I will say honestly that I cannot even contemplate putting subordinate personnel under such pressure by abusing one's official position. To me, a commander treating personnel like this in the army is simply nonsense," Butusov said.

Lack of substantive explanations regarding the allegations and released recordings

He also commented separately on the substance of the allegations and Duka's own response.

"Second, I want to say that the investigation will establish what happened and how. The recordings we heard, frankly, were simply shocking that such things were possible. I personally hoped that the clearest possible explanations would be given to the court: what were these conversations about, why did they take place, and what relationships linked him to the people involved in them? Was he aware that these drug mafia operators were breaking people's knees and beating people to get something out of them? I don't know what. I wanted to hear an account addressing the substance of the matter. I still haven't heard it. All I have heard is an explanation that NABU is gathering some material against Duka. Well, that might have made sense if there had been an explanation for the recorded conversations between gangsters that have been made public. But so far, I have heard no explanations, so I think that, as yet, General Duka has offered no answers or dignified response on this affair. On the contrary, this fundraising casts the affair in a very negative light," the commander concluded.

SSU General Serhii Duka, who is implicated in the "Carthage" case, was released from pretrial detention after bail was posted.

NABU's Operation "Carthage"

NABU earlier reported that a senior Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) official was threatening to use a weapon and obstructing a search.
The Bureau subsequently said that NABU and SAPO had exposed a criminal organization that systematically bribed senior SSU, National Police, and prosecution officials to provide "protection" for fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
NABU said that the "Carthage" investigation had exposed a criminal organization whose members had arranged systematic bribes to senior law enforcement officials to ensure the unhindered operation of fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
It was subsequently reported that anti-corruption authorities had detained General Serhii Duka, first deputy head of the SSU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
SSU chief Oleksandr Poklad dismissed two senior Service officials implicated in NABU's investigation under Operation "Carthage." He also suggested that a suspect in the case known as "Mexican" return to Ukraine and surrender to law enforcement.
NABU and SAPO named five suspects in providing cover for illegal businesses. Those implicated include senior Security Service of Ukraine and National Police officials.
The main suspects in the case were remanded in custody without bail on November 5–6.
On November 6, the High Anti-Corruption Court ordered SBU General Serhii Duka, detained as part of NABU's Operation Carthage, to be remanded in custody with bail set at UAH 65 million.
On November 13, it became known that the full bail amount had been posted for Duka.