Recently, the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that some spies had been installed in the office of Deputy Interior Minister Avakov. Sergei Chebotar A hidden camera and a bug. The incident has caused a serious stir in the security forces. Some officials have already spoken out on the matter. The incident has been blamed on intelligence agencies—both domestic and foreign—and on other possible "enemies of the state." Anton Gerashchenko, a People's Front MP and spokesman for the Minister of Internal Affairs, made this statement. However, the SBU hasn't been slow to respond...
Gerashchenko stated that experts found in Chebotar's office "a professional device for covert audio and video recording in premises and transmitting video signals over a distance of several hundred meters." According to the MP, "the spy devices in the office of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Serhiy Chebotar were installed by ill-wishers or representatives of the SBU." He noted that there are three possible explanations: a wiretap installed by Chebotar's ill-wishers in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, operational measures carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine against him, or the work of foreign intelligence, adding that the first two theories are the most likely, in his opinion.
The SBU responded quickly, with SBU Advisor Markiyan Lubkivskyi refuting Anton Gerashchenko's allegations that the SBU could have been involved in the wiretapping of Deputy Interior Minister Chebotar. "The SBU has nothing to do with this," Lubkivskyi said.
What was surprising in this context was that Gerashchenko was less convinced of foreign intelligence involvement in the incident than of his own special services. However, there has always been an irreconcilable cold war between security agencies, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs has never had much affection for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), nor vice versa. But then, as they say, that's just a matter of life.
Sergei Nikonov wrote a curious article about the discovery in Avakov's deputy's office. The article was published on the ORD website, and we will cite some excerpts from it, as we believe it is quite interesting in this context. We quote:
A listening device in the office of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Chebotar is such a commonplace in Ukrainian life that one might not even notice. For years, we've been listening in on presidents; bugs have been found not only on ministers and deputies, but also in the very office that's supposedly in charge of these bugs. There was a particularly interesting case when bugs were found not only in the office of then-head of the SBU, Drizhchany, but also under the windowsills in the hallway across from his office, where high-ranking officials used to tuck themselves away while waiting for an appointment. So, the incident seems mundane, and one might easily be overlooked, if not for one thing: the country is at war. And Chebotar's office was used to discussing not only personnel matters but also purely military matters. And the leaking of such information into unknown hands during wartime is unacceptable.
What are the possible theories? The first and safest: the wiretapping was ordered by the Minister of Internal Affairs to monitor his deputies. Unfortunately, it's unlikely.
Second. The "Zhuk" was installed on the orders of a former deputy minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who was recently dismissed with great difficulty. This deputy minister had the resources and motives. The most interesting question is: where else did this information go besides to the deputy minister?
Third. The "bookmark" was left over from Zakharchenko, who either controlled his deputy in this way or installed it before his departure.
Fourth. The "bookmark" was planted by "office workers." Either in the hopes of uncovering some corrupt activity, or as part of the eternal silent war between the SBU and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Fifth. The "Beetle" was installed by representatives of the EDAPS company, with whom Chebotar had been battling for years and whom he ultimately removed from the opportunity to collect information on all Ukrainian citizens and make a pretty penny from it.
I think the author of this "bug" will be revealed in the near future. Especially given the information that there was another dashcam in the office. Those who enjoy such "games" should consider that their "exploits" may be judged on a completely different scale these days. (Sergey Nikonov, "Bug Owners" in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, ORD)
...And I'd like to add the following. According to sources in the security forces, Arsen Avakov has been under considerable pressure in recent months, from a variety of sources. This pressure intensified especially during the approval of the new Cabinet, when Avakov had a significant, but far from certain, chance of re-appointing himself to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The situation became even more complicated during Avakov's appointment, when the appointment of Ekaterina (Eka) Zguladze as his first deputy, who arrived in Kyiv shortly before the approval of the new Cabinet, was somewhat delayed.
Zguladze made no secret of her interest in working for the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, which, according to sources, greatly disconcerted Arsen Avakov. The aforementioned Anton Gerashchenko, even after a prolonged silence on the topic of "is Zguladze working or not?" commented that Avakov was expecting Zguladze to join the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and that the only issue was Zguladze's family circumstances and granting her Ukrainian citizenship. Incidentally, as other Cabinet appointments have shown, there were no issues with the latter, since foreign ministers were granted Ukrainian passports just hours before their appointments. In short, the pause lengthened, and the situation was no longer tense.
Eka Zguladze
Sources within the security forces, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, say Zguladze's appointment is a prerequisite for those who support the current Ukrainian government abroad. And it is the former Georgian minister who is, and has always been, the bet for reforming Ukraine's internal affairs agencies. As we recall, Zguladze, in her time in Georgia, essentially completely overhauled the composition of the Ministry of Internal Affairs there, carried out a massive purge of personnel, abolished the traffic police, and quite harshly combed the local criminal underworld, nationalizing the property of local crime bosses and sending some to prison and others out of the country. Zguladze's methods (who, of course, was not alone in carrying out the great Georgian "police purge") were often controversial, but, as it turned out, quite effective. And Avakov understood perfectly well that using the same methods in Ukraine would guarantee a conflict of interest.
The fact is that Serhiy Chebotar, also Arsen Avakov's deputy, whose office was found to be in possession of the infamous bug, could have lost everything and deprived Avakov of much if Zguladze had carried out a purge. Chebotar is the person in charge of the State Traffic Inspectorate, regional departments, personnel matters, and budgetary arrangements. This is said to be the reason for the protracted delay in Zguladze's appointment. But then everything came together—apparently, some kind of compromise was found between the interests of those lobbying for Zguladze, Arsen Avakov, and those who are closely aligned with the Minister of Internal Affairs.
The fact is that the authorities now need some kind of dramatic step to distract citizens from the rapidly declining hryvnia and the war in Donbas. They need to show both their Western partners and the Ukrainian voter that the situation is changing, and this must be seen as very clear and effective. Reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are good, but this is a long-term process and could drag on, especially in the context of war, or, excuse me, the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO).
Therefore, something very significant is needed soon, something that will get Ukrainians discussing what's happening on social media and watching their television screens. Ukrainians need to be shown who, or better yet, is to blame for what's happening in the country. A high-profile case is needed. And perhaps this is precisely the compromise the Minister of Internal Affairs made by agreeing to Zguladze's appointment (although, again, it's possible his opinion was sought more out of politeness). Eka Zguladze became a Ukrainian citizen, perhaps agreeing to carry out an important mission. She must do to Ukrainian "authorities" what she did in Georgia, and what everyone has long expected from Ukrainian security forces: make a show of arresting and nationalizing the property of oligarchs and criminals. It's no wonder that during her visit to Kyiv before the appointment of the new Cabinet, Zguladze enthusiastically recounted how the money of Georgian authorities quickly replenished the treasury, and how, six months later, having purged the Georgian oligarchs, they managed to refuse Soros grants and reform the Georgian police...
The arrival of Ekaterina Zguladze and her appointment as Arsen Avakov's first deputy is a black mark on the domestic oligarchs who believe they still have peace in their pocket. The refusal to allow Rinat Akhmetov's "humanitarian convoys" into the Donetsk region is clear evidence of this. For some reason, it has now been revealed that Akhmetov's "humanitarian convoys" weren't carrying baby food at all, but vodka and cigarettes. And now the public is being shown this image. And it seems this is only the beginning...
However, it's crucial for everyone involved to be aware of what's going on in the offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' top brass. Ukrainian oligarchs need to know when to betray their "colleagues"—that is, to anticipate. New recruits to the Ministry of Internal Affairs need to know and understand what's going on in Avakov's deputy's office, so that, should something happen, they have compromising information and room to maneuver. This is especially true in light of the upcoming changes and appointments, which are bound to happen, including in personnel matters. Plus, it's always important to be aware of any information leaks, should they occur. Representatives of other security agencies also want to know what's going on in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, again out of professional obligation, because the enemy never sleeps, and a discovered werewolf in uniform always earns a star, honor, respect, and a promotion.
Arsen Avakov
Listening to Sergei Chebotar was beneficial to virtually everyone. But there's just one catch... It's possible that Chebotar and Avakov outmaneuvered everyone in this situation, knowing about the wiretap and suddenly discovering it. They preempted the situation and thus gained the opportunity to once again demonstrate that such talent is unavoidable and the country needs it. At the same time, they gave a gentle nudge to their competitors in other security agencies. However, this author is not inclined to believe that the Ministry of Internal Affairs leadership is capable of such a thing. As Anton Gerashchenko says, this is an unlikely scenario...
In any case, it's worth noting that the "cop wars" for a place in the sun in high-ranking police offices have already begun. Perhaps next in line are prosecutors, whose department has also been experiencing unrest lately, as well as other representatives of the agencies charged with combating crime and corruption...
However, those in uniform should remember—they could be under surveillance. Foes, enemies, competitors, and even (I won't scare you, but you never know) oligarchs. So we encourage you to check your offices more often for... However, they are all adults and know what to check for... But it could all get quite interesting, gentlemen...
P.S. Speaking of oligarchs, we'll definitely be writing soon about who, how, for what, and where they'll be made into participants in the "enemy of the state" show. So, to be continued...
Anton KAMENSKY, SLED.net.ua
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