Internal front. Who is putting pressure on anti-corruption journalists and activists and why?

We have two fronts – external and internal. The external front rests on hundreds of thousands of shoulders. The internal front, which is directed against corruption, against unprofessionalism, against the criminal inaction of the authorities, is on several dozen people, the main ones of whom are subjected to targeted persecution by the authorities. These persecutions are compact, uniform in time and systematic.

At the beginning of this week, investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov said that unknown persons came to the door of his Kyiv apartment and pasted leaflets with handwritten inscriptions "The one who evades." The next day, a video appeared showing operators of a group of anti-corruption and information projects founded by a team of investigative journalists called "Bihus.Info" smoking marijuana and using other psychotropic substances. The video was shot by hidden cameras, and it turned out that the employees of the editorial office were being eavesdropped. The editors did not deny the facts in the video, but added that they no longer have a working relationship with the operators. It was noted that their cooperation was terminated, and from the amount of information that has been learned so far, it is clear that the members of the anti-corruption and information editorial team of "Bihus.Info" have been eavesdropped for about a year.

At a time when the pressure on journalists in Ukraine was already discussed on the sidelines in Davos, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained silent. And only on the second day after the incident with the "Bihus.Info" editorial office, in an evening video address to Ukrainians, he stated that such pressure is unacceptable. But the thing is not only about investigative journalists.

What Nikolov and Bihus talk about coincided in time with at least three other cases, but public activists spoke about them. Mykhailo Zhernakov from the DEJURE foundation, which promotes the principle of integrity among judges, Oleksandr Liemienov is the founder of the public organization StateWatch, which, in particular, monitors the introduction of sanctions against top officials and businessmen involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Vitalii Shabunin, the team and head of the Anti-Corruption Center of Ukraine (AntAC), who work in the anti-corruption legislative field, are also under pressure.

This is a red signal. All the landmark investigations of Yurii Nikolov on procurement corruption for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the most scandalous of which involved eggs for UAH 17 and summer and winter jackets. All these investigations were published in ZN.UA. A series of articles by Oleksandr Liemienov about abuses in the National Agency of Ukraine for Identification, Search and Management of Assets Obtained from Corruption and Other Crimes (Agency for Tracing/Recovery of Assets). In addition, the articles talked about the misdeeds and negligence of representatives of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine and, of course, the confiscation of Russian assets in Ukraine, which is a painful issue for all ex-beneficiaries and their local environment. Vitalii Shabunin and Mykhailo Zhernakov are also regular authors of our publication. As well as the editor-in-chief of "Censor.NET" Yurii Butusov, to whom the authorities cut off oxygen as much as possible due to honest and professional reports from the front.

These people aren't perfect, they make mistakes – and we always point them out – but they're definitely doing what they think is right for our country. And it's a huge piece of work. And it is precisely these people who found their place in this war a long time ago – because this is exactly what the president is calling for. They hold the internal front, and they are now being systematically tried to be demobilized from this front. Besides, these people are trying to be removed and discredited. Let there be a marathon of silence. So that no one would go anywhere.

"The Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC)" and Vitalii Shabunin

Back in the fall of 2023, several anonymous Telegram channels simultaneously wrote that the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) Vitalii Shabunin, who had been serving in the 207th battalion of the 241st brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, allegedly did not fight in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but was in Kyiv.

All this took place against the background of another stage of the Central Committee's struggle for the cancellation of the "Lozovyi’s amendments", "thanks to" which more than a thousand cases of top corruptors can be closed. Procedural independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), increasing the staff of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) the reform of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, and most importantly, the uncompromising voicing of the names of curators from Bankova Street – Tatarov, Smyrnov, and the head of the Law Enforcement Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) Ionushas, etc., etc., which prevent reforms from being implemented – all this Shabunin and Co.

It was the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) that first announced that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine under the leadership of Reznikov would spend 36 billion of unpaid debit debt without limitation. During the war! Of course, such "screamers" interfere with preserving the law enforcement, judicial, governmental and legislative systems in their original rotten form. Therefore, Shabunin should be compromised?

"What they tell me from the inside: Oleh Tatarov ordered the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to find a way to shut me up with criminal proceedings. Because no accusations can be brought against me publicly, – I was mobilized into the army on the first day of the war in Kyiv. This is how the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) comments on the situation. – I heard different stories about how they are going to do it. One is allegedly related to my business trip to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP). After the liberation of Kyiv Oblast, my company was stationed a few kilometers from the capital. I needed access to the southern and eastern fronts. That's why I went to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), which gives me freedom of movement on both active fronts.

And now Tatarov's people want to take advantage of the fact that I allegedly did not have the right to go on a business trip to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP). I have no idea how they want to make a deal out of this noise. But this is the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and they are guided by Tatarov's will, not by law.

Attorney Rostyslav Kravets made a statement to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) about my service, because Kravets is part of the team of Pavel Vovk from the District Administrative Court of the city of Kyiv (we managed to liquidate the latter with our partners). And this is Portnov's team, of which Tatarov is a part. Everything is clear here. I don't understand what they can come to me with to initiate a criminal case.

Regarding the general trend of pressure on journalists and activists. At some point, the authorities realized that media attacks hit them, not us, and criminal cases also hit them. And then I am sure of this, although the representatives of the authorities will begin to use the opportunity to dispose of the disagreeable by sending them to the front. Because it is the safest and most effective tool for the authorities," Vitalii Shabunin is confident.

Certificates, the Territorial Recruitment Center and personal police visits

Oleksandr Liemienov from the StateWatch organization says that he graduated from the military institute in 2011, is on military registration, has not yet received a summons, but was already thinking about the fact that one day he will go to war. "I asked myself questions. There are no problems with this, I need a suitable unit so that my abilities are used to their maximum potential. However, service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine should not become a punishment, as the organizers of the persecution of members of the public and their ultimate beneficiaries want," says Liemienov.

The persecution that the activist mentions began for him at the end of December last year. At two addresses - one in the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, where Liemienov once lived, and the other – in Kyiv, where he now lives - employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC, a military body that actually issues summonses for army service to citizens. – T.B.) and the police. In general, such situations are not surprising in a country that has been resisting Russian invasion for the tenth year in a row. Men of conscription age receive summonses, undergo a medical examination, training and go to the front. However, Oleksandr Liemienov tells the details of the visits of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) and the police, which testify to a different nature of such meetings.

"When they came the second time, they talked with a neighbor, and he asked: "Who are you going to?". Employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) showed a photo and called my last name. My neighbors know me. The policemen answered verbatim (Olexander narrates the words of the policeman from the words of the neighbors. –  T.B.): "We were told to come pick him up, we will meet him now and take him with us." Let me remind you, one of the policemen, approaching my apartment, filmed it on his mobile phone camera," says Liemienov.

In a comment to ZN.UA, the activist says that he connects such police visits with his work, in particular with criticism of the work of the deputy head of the president's office, Oleh Tatarov, who is responsible for coordinating the work of law enforcement agencies on Bankova Street. "I also commented on stories on non-imposition of sanctions against Yanukovych's former lawyer Andriy Portnov. Let me remind you that they both communicate very closely," Liemienov added.

A similar story happened with activist Mykhailo Zhernakov. At the end of last year, anonymous Telegram channels began to spread information that he is allegedly evading military service and has fake hospital certificates that allow him not to go to the front. Mykhailo Zhernakov, in a comment to the publication, also explained that he considers such waves of information to be pressure on him.

"We have two deputy heads of the president's office, who in the past or are still friends and partners of Portnov (Andrii Portnov is a former deputy head of the presidential administration. – T.B.). I still don't understand how these people – Tatarov and Smirnov – are there, and I am very surprised that Yanukovych's methods have returned to us. And I would like to see that our Ukrainian authorities strongly condemn them. Because if the representatives of the government do not find the guilty people in these attacks, then obviously they themselves will be forced to admit that they were the ones who organized it," says Zhernakov.

Mykhailo Zhernakov explains that his work and efforts devoted to the implementation of the judicial reform are yielding good results. As an example, he cites the work of the High Qualifications Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJU, a body that conducts various types of checks of judges on their suitability for work in courts. – T.B.) regarding the dismissal of specific persons. "Russia is losing its network of agents, including within the judiciary. As practice shows, corrupt judges and those who are pro-Russian are often the same person. Therefore, right now, whatever tools are available, they use them, whoever they see as a problem, they attack that person," the activist adds.

During the preparation of the material, we asked Mykhailo Zhernakov whether he really had a certificate from the hospital stating that he could not serve in the army. To this, Zhernakov replied that he has several certificates, as well as the conclusions of the military medical commission, which noted that he is "limitedly fit for military service" and this is due to an illness he has had since childhood. And yesterday it became known that Zhernakov joined the reform group under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, however, according to his own words, this is not military service.

Unknown guests and hidden cameras

Investigative journalist and editor-in-chief of the publication called "Our Money" Yurii Nikolov conducted the most high-profile investigations in 2022-2023. It was Nikolov who spoke about the fact that the Military-Civil Administration allocated UAH 1.5 billion to a company close to the head of the regional administration Valentyn Reznichenko, whose advisor at one time was the "former-current" curator of the presidential program "Great Construction" Yurii Golyk. And it was Yurii Nikolov who spoke about "eggs for UAH 17" in ZN.UA, and the publicity ultimately led to the dismissal of the then current Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksii Reznikov.

On January 16, Nikolov published a screenshot of a post from an anonymous Telegram channel on his Facebook page.

The photo shows the door to the journalist's apartment, the backs of people in hoods, and leaflets with the inscriptions "provocateur" and "The one who evades." As Yurii Nikolov himself explains, when unknown people came to his apartment, only his sick mother was at home. After that, Nikolov wrote a statement to the police. At the time of the journalist's communication with the publication, it is not known under which article the law enforcement officers initiated a criminal case.

Yurii Nikolov connects such actions of unknown people with his professional activities. "I do not believe in any way that Yurii Golyk ordered the attack on me. But Golyk did not leave the orbit of the president's office. And that's why people make assumptions about his involvement in this story. I took part in the "UPchat" program on the eve of the New Year, and we analyzed the events surrounding the draft law on mobilization. Then the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine allowed himself a few insults to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, saying that he should explain to Ukrainians why he needs such and such number of mobilized. He refused to comment on the plans to replace Zaluzhnyi, and in general "these are personal conflicts between Maryana and Valerii." From this trash, I concluded that Zelenskyy evades his duties as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine, to which I include the mobilization organization. Yes, I said the word "avades" in relation to Zelensky. Because he made an attempt to shift the need to report the "bad" news about the mobilization of 500,000 soldiers to someone else," explains Nikolov.

Immediately after Nikolov's story, there was news about the surveillance of the editors of the "Bigus.Info" publication –  investigative journalists who have been making materials about the government – both previous and current –  for 10 years. The reason for the surveillance statement was a video that appeared on the Internet: it shows operators smoking marijuana during New Year's celebrations. In addition, there are recordings of telephone conversations of the same employees of the publication. In his address, the editor-in-chief Denys Bihus, who currently serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that hidden cameras were installed in the hotel rented by the editorial office. The editors also suggested that Ukrainian law enforcement officers may be involved in the covert filming, and publicly asked the question of who authorized the wiretapping.

According to a survey conducted by the Razumkov Center, 84% of citizens believe that it is unacceptable to remain silent about corruption during the war. And about the same number consider it the main internal threat. That's why society was outraged by what was happening. The media community united and wrote an appeal to the authorities. The heads of specialized parliamentary committees made correct statements. The president, albeit belatedly, allegedly reacted harshly. "The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has started an investigation and will find out all the circumstances. Any pressure on journalists is unacceptable," Zelenskyy emphasized.

But it is obvious: everything that happens in our country happens under the patronage of the president. This is a consequence of the concentration of power. He orients himself well, to whom and which investigation to entrust. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has two very experienced figures: Serhii Duka and Anton Kravchuk, who, according to ZN.UA, are very well versed in what is happening inside the state and are familiar with its methods.

There are specialists in the National Police of Ukraine who would also like to get involved in the investigation for Mr. Tatarov, who supervises the structure. (The National Police of Ukraine has already registered a statement from the editors of the anti-corruption and informational project "Bihus.Info" about obstructing journalistic activity and interfering in personal life.)

The issue is not only that the journalists and activists who became the target of the attacks published critical materials in the media. And in the fact that their speeches and materials influenced and achieved results. Resignation of Reznikov and a number of high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the army. Transparency in procurement and restructuring of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Qualitative reboot of the High Council of Justice of Ukraine and the High Qualification Commission of Judges. Dozens of investigations into abuses in various fields: from energy and construction to the withdrawal of tens of billions of funds from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine offshore. We get it: it's annoying and makes it difficult to reign.

However, the authorities, with all their offensiveness, self-confidence and swagger, should understand one thing: the world's support, which we still have, is built on our moral righteousness. On the fact that Russia is a dictatorship, and Ukraine is a democracy that the civilized world must save. And the more features of Mordor appear in Ukraine, the more we will look like our enemy, to the satisfaction of all those who want to deprive Ukraine of the support of the West.

Guys, come to your senses and find a measure! Because the boomerang will fly not only from the inside, but also from the outside. And it will hit so hard that not only will you collapse, but you will also drag the country with you when you fall.

 

Read this article in Ukrainian and russian.