Ex-Ukraine Cyber Chief Charged With Illicit Enrichment After Luxury Apartment Purchase
Former cybersecurity chief of Ukraine's SBU, Illia Vitiuk, has been charged with illicit enrichment. He posted bail of over 9 million hryvnias ($218,000) following allegations of buying a Kyiv apartment for $535,000 but reporting it at nearly half the price. The case has sparked political tensions and public scrutiny.
Prosecutors allege that Vitiuk's wife's consulting work was a sham to cover the apartment's purchase. Vitiuk, however, rejects the charges, claiming no evidence of his involvement and lack of knowledge about the apartment's price. He is accused of illicit enrichment and faces bail conditions including appearing when summoned, reporting residence changes, avoiding contact with certain individuals, and surrendering foreign passports.
The SBU described the case as politically motivated, with NABU retaliating after SBU officers detained its employees. Ukrainian journalists and activists have cast doubt on the SBU's defense of Vitiuk. The case is linked to Fedor Khristenko, a former Ukrainian MP charged with high treason, who was reportedly abducted from hiding in the United Arab Emirates. Two senior cybersecurity officials were dismissed amid an investigation into suspected embezzlement of $1.7 million between 2020 and 2022.
Vitiuk's case raises serious questions about corruption within Ukraine's cybersecurity agency. The public awaits further developments and potential implications for the agency's leadership and operations.
