This screenshot from a surveillance video aired on Ukraine’s TV shows a man in a dark coat with a cell phone. He is allegedly an agent of the Cyber Security Department of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), Aleksei Vladimirovich Bilenko.
Ukrainian investigative journalists of Slidstvo Info caught him abusing his status, breaking the law, and committing a felony. He allegedly ordered two service members from the Kyiv district conscription office to confront Yevhen Shulhat, an investigative reporter of Slidstvo Info, and issue him a conscription notice to the war.
While the constitutional duty to defend the Homeland is mandatory for all men, the weaponization of mobilization by the government in Ukraine raises questions, especially if reporters who investigate government corruption are punished in this way. This is the silencing of government critics.
Days ago, Shulhat published his journalism investigation into the alleged corruption of Ilya Vitiuk, the director of the Cyber Security Department of the SBU, who is the boss of the agent Bilenko. Last year, Vitiuk's family bought a luxury apartment for 20 million UAH, much more than his compensation for the service. His wife mentioned in the 2023 tax declaration that the price of this apartment was only 12,8 million UAH.
In Ukraine, the difference between the actual paid price for the property and its declared price for tax purposes is more than just a common way to minimize taxes. This is a coverup for taking a bribe in the form of a property. Also, registering real estate on relatives (spouses, parents, siblings, children) is another common way of hiding bribes and laundering money.
It looks like Ilya Vitiuk sent his subordinate agent, Bilenko, to punish a journalist by sending him to the war. This is a weaponization of mobilization by the government to silence its critics. Meanwhile, threats to journalists and obstruction of their journalism activities are felonies according to local law.
After Slidstvo Info published an article about the attempt to send their reporter to the war, the Ministry of Defense and Security Service issued separate statements.
The SBU statement says, "We specifically emphasize that according to the law, SBU agents have no authority to make orders or suggestions to the conscription offices regarding how they communicate with journalists."
The MoD statement says, "We are outraged by the pressure on journalists and consider it categorically unacceptable. The MoD, together with the General Staff of the AFU, are investigating the situation and will inform you of its results in a timely manner."
On the other side, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Gen. Alexander Syrsky, ordered his subordinate Commander of Land Forces to conduct an internal inquiry into the actions of two service members of the Kyiv district conscription office.
Finally, on April 8th, the office of the Prosecutor General opened a criminal case regarding revenge against a journalist of Slidstvo Info who uncovers government corruption. The Ukr. State Bureau of Investigations will lead the pre-trial criminal inquiry regarding obstruction of journalists’ activities and pressure on a reporter.
Meanwhile, the chief of SBU, Lt. Gen. Vasyl Maliuk, is very busy with the war and does not have time (and possibly a desire) to pay attention to what is happening inside his organization. He blew up Putin’s Kerch Bridge, sank the Russian Black Sea Navy, and destroyed Russian oil refineries with drones. However, he would have been better off cleaning up his monster post-Soviet Security Service from corruption.
However, on April 9th, General Maliuk finally reacted to this evolving scandal around his service. During the time needed for the criminal inquiry, he suspended Ilya Vitiuk, the chief of the Cyber Security Department of SBU. He sent him to the front to participate in combat. This looks like a quick justice. But, ironically, this is also the punishment in the form of sending someone to the war.