NABU and SAPO have no information regarding contacts between Liashko, Klymenko and Arakhamia in "Carthage" case, – Zelenskyy

NABU has no information regarding links between the three politicians and those implicated in the ’Carthage’ case

Anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies have no information regarding any contact between Health Minister Viktor Liashko, National Security and Defence Council Secretary Ihor Klymenko, and the head of the ‘Servant of the People’ parliamentary faction, Davyd Arakhamia, and those implicated in the ‘Carthage’ case.

According to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform, this was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists.

According to the head of state, he has spoken on numerous occasions with representatives of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies regarding the investigation into the "Carthage" case.

"You could have checked that neither Klymenko, nor Vygivskyi, nor Poklad himself have anything to do with this. I know this from law enforcement and anti-corruption officials. I have spoken to all of them several times. It is a very unpleasant and very wrong situation. But there is an investigation, and I support this investigation. And there will be further personnel changes," said Zelenskyy.

What did NABU and the SAPO say regarding Lyashko and Arakhamia?

Zelenskyy also said that he had separately approached NABU and the SAPO to enquire whether they had any information regarding officials whose names might have been mentioned in the published recordings.

According to him, when asked about possible contacts between Viktor Liashko, Ihor Klymenko and Davyd Arakhamia with those implicated in the case, the law enforcement agencies replied in the negative.

"Do you have anything on them?" asked the President.

"No. Neither Lyashko, nor Klymenko, nor Arakhamia have any connection whatsoever with these people," Zelenskyy relayed the law enforcement agencies’ response.

The head of state emphasised that he supports the investigation into the case and announced further personnel changes.

NABU’s "Carthage" operation

Earlier, NABU reported that a senior SSU official was threatening to use a weapon and obstructing a search.
Subsequently, the Bureau stated that NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) had exposed a criminal organisation that systematically bribed senior officials of the SSU, the National Police and the Prosecutor’s Office in exchange for ‘protection’ of fraudulent call centres and other illegal businesses.
NABU stated that, as part of the ‘Carthage’ investigation, a criminal organisationhad been exposed, whose members had established a systematic practice of bribing senior officials in law enforcement agencies to allow fraudulent call centres and other illegal businesses to operate unhindered.
It was subsequently reported that the anti-corruption authorities had detained General Serhii Duka, the first deputy head of the SSU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
The head of the SSU, Oleksandr Poklad, dismissed two senior officials of the Service who are implicated in the NABU investigation as part of Operation ‘Carthage’. He also urged a suspect in the case, known by the alias ‘The Mexican’, to return to Ukraine and surrender to the law enforcement authorities.
NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have announced five charges relating to the cover-up of illegal business activities; those implicated include senior officials from the SSU and the National Police.
On 5–6 November, the main suspects in the case were remanded in custody without the right to bail.
On 6 November, the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) imposed a preventive measure on SSU General Serhiy Duka, who was detained as part of NABU’s ‘Carthage’ operation. He was remanded in custody with the option to post bail of 65 million hryvnias.
On 13 November, it emerged that the full amount of bail had been paid on Duka’s behalf.