Such a phenomenon as "protection" of illegal activities of territorial recruitment and social support centers (TRCs) at the level of higher command does not exist currently, Director of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Oleksiy Sukhachov has said.
In an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine, answering a question on whether there is "protection" at the highest level in TRCs, Sukhachov said: "In my conviction as the head of a law enforcement agency that constantly faces this phenomenon – and we detain someone every week – today there is no such phenomenon."
According to the SBI director, there are certain problems in regions when it is not immediately possible to bring organizers of this activity at the regional level to justice.
"Within operational-search cases, we have not received any information about the involvement of the Ground Forces command, which is responsible for organizing the work of TRCs, or higher. That is, as of today, we do not register such illegal activity at the level of higher command," he noted.
Clarifying whether this means that previously the SBI registered such phenomena, Sukhachov noted: "Yes, in the case of former head of Odesa regional TRC Yevhen Borysov. Currently, most of criminal proceedings in which he is suspected of illicit enrichment, abuse of official powers, and so on are already under consideration by court."
"I will say this: he still has many people obliged to him in certain positions. With this investigation, we touched some people, so a media attack was launched against us, alleging that the SBI supposedly ‘sold’ the case for $500,000, and Borysov is calmly walking free. But the situation is completely opposite…," the SBI director explained.
According to him, the SBI is interested in verdicts for this suspect and fair punishment.
"But not all judges and not in all regions are ready to work for the common and legal interest. Despite all media inspirations, I believe that in this story, the Bureau defends interests of the state and society to the maximum," Sukhachov said.
He noted that the Borysov case is fundamental for the Bureau because this person was "the only head of a TRC at the regional level who accumulated flows from several other heads of regions, carried out systematic collection of funds in several regions for providing men with an opportunity to avoid mobilization, and was coordinated, at that time, at the level of command of the AFU."
"I cannot say more publicly, I will only emphasize: we work substantively and subject-specifically on all suspects, we understand their contacts, ties, and business interests," the SBI director concluded.
