Bail was paid in full for Major General of the Security Service of Ukraine Serhii Duka, whom the High Anti-Corruption Court remanded in custody as part of Operation "Carthage." The amount was UAH 65 million. This was reported on Facebook by the general’s lawyer, Yurii Sukhov. Duka’s colleagues from the special service and his fellow servicemen, who recorded a video address from their combat positions, joined the fundraising effort, UNN writes.
Details
On November 6, the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed on Serhii Duka a preventive measure in the form of 60 days in custody, with the alternative of posting bail in the amount of UAH 65 million. Prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office insisted on a significantly higher amount—UAH 100 million.
During the court hearing, the general himself stated that he was unable to pay such bail independently and denied any intention of hiding from the investigation.
After the court’s decision, SBU employees began collecting funds to support the major general. On November 10, SAP prosecutor Mykola Karas reported that UAH 44 million had been deposited into the HACC account by 1,113 payers. As of the evening of November 12, according to the court, the amount of deposited funds had risen to UAH 60.7 million. Now, according to lawyer Yurii Sukhov, the required UAH 65 million has been collected in full.
Military personnel recorded a video address in support of Duka
SBU employees defending Ukraine’s independence at the front also expressed their support for Serhii Duka. They recorded a video address to the general, in which they said that they had joined the bail fundraising effort directly from the front line.
"General, we are at our combat positions; just a little more and we will get you out of there. We are collecting bail right at the front, although the banks are unlawfully blocking payments. This money should have been used to provide personnel with body armor and vehicles. But apparently SAP knows better what it should do and what amount of bail to set while sitting in a warm office. We are with you and will defend your honor; we carry out combat missions together. And those who tarnish the image of the service and the image of officers while sitting in warm television studios and offices and talking about some rear-based SBU can always come and help. We have no time for talk; we have time for the war and for defending our state and independence. We stand together, and we have the honor until victory!" a serviceman said in the video.
At the same time, the bail collection was not free of informational speculation. Pro-Kremlin resources used information about the overall fundraising by SBU employees to spread a fake claim about allegedly compulsory contributions.
At the same time, Russian propaganda used not only the issue of bail but also Duka’s detention itself for information attacks. Pro-Kremlin media spread speculation about alleged "purges" in Ukraine’s special services, Western interference, and an internal struggle for power, attempting to give the investigation a political dimension.
Previously
On November 4, NABU and SAP announced that they had exposed an alleged criminal organization whose members are suspected of systematically offering unlawful benefits to high-ranking law enforcement officials in exchange for unobstructed operation of fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
One of the suspects in Operation "Carthage" was SBU Major General Serhii Duka. He is accused of participating in a criminal organization. The general himself denies his guilt.
Earlier, lawyer Yurii Sukhov published Serhii Duka’s open letter from the pretrial detention center. In the address, the general stated that he had devoted 26 years to serving Ukraine, a significant part of which he spent organizing and conducting special operations.
In addition, Duka explained that his contacts with individuals from criminal circles were connected with the performance of operational tasks, rather than participation in a criminal organization. The general also said that he saw the actions of certain anti-corruption officials as an attempt to settle personal scores. He called for his activities to be assessed on the basis of evidence, rather than sensational headlines.
In the letter, the general separately thanked those who joined the bail fundraising effort.
"I thank my comrades-in-arms for their support. I thank everyone who contributed to raising funds for the absurd bail. I will prove my innocence. I will defend my honor," Duka wrote.