Threatening NABU-SBU Tensions Flare Over Probe on Scam Call Centers

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) claimed an officer from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) threatened investigators with firearms during a search on Wednesday, Nov. 4. NABU, in a press release, said SBU special forces also arrived on the scene and called the interference “unacceptable.”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “While NABU detectives are conducting lawful investigative actions based on a ruling by an investigating judge of the Supreme Court of Criminal Procedure, one of the senior SBU officials threatens to use a firearm and does not allow the detectives to enter the search area,” the agency said. “Such actions are unacceptable and obstruct the performance of lawful procedural duties of NABU detectives,” it added, saying that more details would follow. The SBU later issued a brief statement confirming the searches, at the same time calling for an “objective and impartial investigation.” NABU did not name the SBU officer, but local outlet Ukrainska Pravda claimed it was SBU General Serhiy Duka, citing its own sources. New raids tied to fraud call centers NABU said the raids are connected to Operation Carthage, an earlier investigation on fraud call centers in Ukraine that led to the ouster of the country’s prosecutor general, whose subordinates were directly implicated in the scheme via wiretapped recordings. On Wednesday, NABU – the country’s main anti-corruption investigative agency – said it uncovered more evidence pointing to cover-ups by high-ranking officials from the SBU, the National Police, and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Other Topics of Interest Russian Commander Organized Widescale Fraud Based on Fake ‘Action’ Videos A Russian commander was found guilty of making videos of fake battlefield fighting aimed at receiving medals and financial compensation. Ukrainska Pravda and local outlet Dzerkalo Tyzhnia, citing their law enforcement sources, suggested the breakthrough likely came from unlocking the phone of Andriy Osipov, a suspect detained in a separate case with alleged ties to top SBU officials. NABU reportedly conducted around 70 searches on Wednesday. Ukrainska Pravda added that NABU also searched the premises of other SBU officials, including Anton Kravchuk, the SBU’s internal security head, and Oleksandr Kovalchuk, the first deputy head of the Main Department “D” of the SBU’s Department for the Protection of National Statehood. Longstanding history between NABU, SBU The two agencies have long harbored animosity. In July 2025, the SBU accused NABU of harboring pro-Russian elements, which led to the government’s attempt to place the agency – alongside the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecution (SAPO), the prosecution arm of the anti-corruption ecosystem – under the purview of the Prosecutor General’s Office. The move triggered nationwide protests, with parliament and the national government later reversing the decision through a separate bill. As a result, NABU investigators accused of Russian ties were later released. Critics have accused the SBU of being part of a state apparatus used to pressure anti-graft agencies, which later unveiled investigations targeting top government officials over kickback schemes involving the country’s nuclear agency. The investigation led to the ouster of Ukraine’s energy and justice ministers, while top officials in the Presidential Office were also ousted after being implicated in related cases. On the other hand, some Ukrainian analysts see US law enforcement agencies as having undue influence over NABU, which they helped create in 2015. Some analysts even suggest the Trump administration has tried to pressure Zelensky through that influence. That said, the two agencies do cooperate on other anti-corruption cases, including a state embezzlement case concerning the purchase of tank armor for the military in late 2025. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.