Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Sunday that he’d instructed his staff to investigate a reported attempt to serve an illegitimate draft notice to a Ukrainian investigative journalist who might’ve gotten on the wrong side of a high-level official.
On April 4, the Slidstvo.info investigative journalist, Yevhen Shkurat published a story on Illya Vityuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) cybersecurity department.
In his report, Shkurat alleged that Vityuk and his wife, Yuliya Vityuk, could not have afforded the couple’s estimated $1.5 million apartment on their income – and thus may have benefited from some form of corruption.
The Vityuks did not comment on the story.
On April 1, on the eve of the publication of the Slidstvo investigation, Shkurat was approached in a Kyiv shopping mall by military draft center officials who intended to serve him with a military call-up notice.
After watching CCTV footage, the journalist’s colleagues reported that the officers had been instructed by a person spotted at the same location, who turned out to be an SBU operative, to specifically approach Shkurat.
The Slidstvo news outlet also reported that they’d been warned against publishing the story.
Following the news, the Ukrainian media association, Mediarukh, issued a statement demanding that criminal proceedings be initiated for those involved.
“Illegal surveillance of a journalist by representatives of the special services and the use of the military as a tool to stop journalistic investigations is an unacceptable and threatening precedent,” Mediaruk said.
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On Sunday, Ukraine’s military commander also reacted to the story.
“Seeing the report published by Slidstvo.info, I tasked the Ground Forces commander with conducting an official investigation. Appropriate decisions will be made based on its results,” Syrsky wrote in a Facebook post.
Syrsky said that military servicemen are grateful for the work of the hundreds of journalists who have gone to cover the front line and to those who’ve been fighting against propaganda and disinformation.
“We cherish the memory of journalists who died in battle,” Syrsky said.
“It is also important to emphasize that the professional activities of journalists are respected by the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and protected by Ukrainian legislation. The Armed Forces of Ukraine condemn any cases of violations by military officials,” Syrsky stated.
As reported by the Ukrainian news site Ukrinform, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, said that he spoke with the head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, who “made it clear that the incident will not go unnoticed.”
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Comments (7)
@DAVID FROM AMEIRKA,
Geez MRGA troll 'jack'.. at least spell "America" correctly in your commenter name, if you want folks to not immediately spot you are a MRGA troll.
Then again you blew that illusion in your first sentence. Time to change your troll name again.
While you are here though, and since you seem to have to reread the truth about 1000 times before it sinks in, please do re-read my post below to you, which illustrates how silly your comments about corruption makes you look.
Ukraine is Haiti for white people and Zelensky is corrupt dictator.
@troll jack from russia (posing as John from America)
Its flattering the MRGA trolls keep posting with variations of my name. They regale stories of how they once insulted "John the loon from Canada" (or similar) as though it had their desired impact. Unexpectedly troll jack actually seems to need my validation. Good boy troll 'jack'. Print yourself a 'gold MRGA star'.
From my perspective I'm wasting a lot of MRGA troll time and in general making them appear a less desirable species. It greatly motivates me.
Regarding the MRGA trolls post here: Under russian control, Ukraine would have remained the 141st worst international ranked nation for corruption. Instead, since they broke away, Ukraine has risen 37 spots. Thats is the most remarkable progress made by any nation in recent history!
Now think of what Zelensky inherited. A system built entirely on russian corruption...like russia. Yes some problems remain. Yet under Zelensky and his hard working team, these are identified and resolved.
Ukraine is clearly heading in the right direction. Allies have not overlooked that.
Our support for Ukraine continues.
Corruption is everywhere. Every Ukrainian shall harshly rebuke anyone who tells him that "Ukraine is Corrupt". Ruzzia is far much more so and is the main reason for the level of corruption since ever found in Ukraine. As long as ruzzia keeps infecting Ukraine the latter will hardly improve. There are huge levels of corruption, bribery and graft in the EC too, make no mistake; the difference is that it is both very sophisticated, more and more ruzzian driven and severely punished - if found. But it does exist! So never allow anyone to tell any Ukrainian that his Country is corrupt; probably theirs is the US or is in the EC and is even more so, Scandinavia excluded.
ALERT! John from america is RUSSIAN !
@DB, we know... easy to spot.
All these bots are soon to be replaced by AI, which is far more cheaper and productive, and sent to the Front. Don't worry.
Ukraine is a garbage dump, it's Haiti for White people. Ukraine was one of the most corrupt countries on earth before the war and war increases corruption. You guys should do a ceasefire and a DMZ while there's still something left of Ukraine to save.
@John from America, FUCK OFF BACK TO RUSSIA , RUSSIAN SCUM !!
@dba, John from Peter...
@John from America, well put and so true.
How about serving a journalist an honesty notice? The press is a total disgrace.