SBU reveals correspondence and audio recordings about business projects of NABU official and his father from Russia

The Security Service of Ukraine has published new data confirming the organization of illegal trade with Russia by one of the heads of NABU detectives and his father during the full-scale war.

This activity concerns the sale of industrial hemp grown in the Zhytomyr region, the purpose of which was to supply it to Russia, in particular to the Republic of Dagestan.

In particular, the SBU has already published an audio recording in which an NABU official discussed the terms of the deal with a potential buyer, promising to send a commercial offer. The results of the forensic examination confirm that the participants in the conversation were communicating specifically about trade issues with the Russian Republic.

During the pre-trial investigation, investigators also discovered correspondence between the official’s father and a representative of an agricultural company from Dagestan, who was interested in purchasing industrial hemp. This communication stated that he had received a commercial offer and urgently requested up-to-date quality certificates for the products due to the approaching end of the Russian Federation program that reimburses the costs of growing hemp. At the same time, the name of the sender of the letter coincides with the surname of a high-ranking NABU official.

Additionally, during the analysis of the phones, it was revealed that the NABU employee who managed the illegal business was his father, who performed control functions on-site. The case materials indicate that the official found contacts for conducting trade with Russia and was looking for investors for his business, as confirmed by the correspondence found on his phone.

The investigation also found that the law enforcement officer’s father maintained contacts with Russian citizens from Dagestan, and in 2023, despite the war, he personally traveled to Russia.

In addition, according to the materials of the proceedings, it was revealed that the father of a high-ranking NABU official corresponded with a fugitive deputy, Fedor Khrystenko, who, according to the investigation, has connections with Russian special services. One of the episodes of the correspondence discussed a possible meeting on EU territory. The identification of the NABU employee in this communication is confirmed by Khrystenko’s correspondence with the official’s father.

The SBU also documented that the official’s father maintained contacts with representatives of the occupation administrations in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. For example, he discussed with a Russian official in Horlivka the issue of renewing the registration of his weapons in accordance with the legislation of the so-called “DPR”.

The SBU has already raised suspicions against the high-ranking NABU official and his father under Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding an aggressor state), and they are in custody.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the procedural guidance of the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.

It should be noted that this proceeding concerns only individual individuals and does not reflect the activities of the NABU as a whole. The SBU supports a constructive approach and cooperation to strengthen state institutions and enhance Ukraine’s independence.

New escape schemes for evaders were also noted, in particular, the use of an ambulance as a cover.