The Anti-Corruption Action Center lied about a bribe being given to SBU General Duka: there is no such fact in the NABU materials, says former SAPO prosecutor

Former prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Stanislav Bronevytsky accused the Anti-Corruption Action Center of distorting information about the alleged transfer of a bribe worth approximately three million dollars to SBU General Serhii Duka, UNN reports, citing Telegraf.

At the same time, Deputy Head of the National Police Andrii Niebytov refuted the data voiced during Operation "Carthage" about the alleged "protection" of the "Khimпром" U420 chain of stores.

Thus, in his Telegram channel, Bronevytsky drew attention to a publication by the Anti-Corruption Action Center in which, citing a speech by the head of the NABU detectives' unit, Oleksandr Abakumov, activists reported the alleged transfer of four crypto wallets to SBU General Serhii Duka by Andrii Osipov ("The Criminal"). The activists close to NABU called the funds in them a bribe for facilitating the lifting of the seizure of "Khimпром" assets through the Office of the Prosecutor General. The former prosecutor said that such statements by the Anti-Corruption Action Center were "an outright lie and manipulation."

"No one gave anyone a bribe; at least, this is not recorded in the case materials. Abakumov did not talk about this at all on UP.chat; anyone can listen to the broadcast and make sure," Bronevytsky wrote.

Bronevytsky also noted that after "The Criminal" was detained in July, the issue of lifting the seizure remained unresolved, so there was no talk of bribes.

The former prosecutor separately drew attention to the legal classification of the suspicion. In NABU's official statement of November 5⁠ regarding the first deputy head of one of the SBU departments (Serhii Duka), Part 3 of Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is cited — participation in a criminal organization using one's official position. The statement contains no reference to Article 368, which concerns accepting an offer or promise, or receiving an undue benefit (bribe), with regard to this official.

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the National Police and Chief of Criminal Police Andrii Niebytov criticized the data presented by NABU and SAPO regarding the U420 chain of stores and their alleged "protection."

"From the NABU and SAPO video, society understood the message: 'The National Police is involved in protecting drug trafficking.' This is unacceptable," he⁠ said.

According to Niebytov, the released conversations about bribing representatives of the National Police and the prosecutor's office to keep the U420 stores operating took place from September 2025 to April 2026 — precisely when the police were documenting the group's activities. He claims that the plans discussed to prevent the goods from being seized and to avoid serving the chain's employees with notices of suspicion were not implemented.

In April, the National Police and the Prosecutor General's Office shut down all 105 U420 stores. The data was made public at the time.