Ukraine’s ‘Operation Carthage’ Targets Senior Security Officials in Alleged Bribery Network
Ukraine’s anti‑corruption bodies say Operation Carthage has exposed a criminal group that allegedly paid off senior officials in the SBU, National Police, and Prosecutor General’s Office to shield fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
Ukraine’s top anti‑corruption agencies say they have uncovered a bribery network that allegedly penetrated the state’s own security and law‑enforcement hierarchy, in a case that reaches into the Security Service of Ukraine and other powerful offices.
The National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) say their joint investigation, code‑named Operation Carthage, has exposed what they describe as a criminal organization involving senior officials from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Police, and the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to investigative materials made public so far, the scheme centered on systematic bribes paid in exchange for protection. NABU and SAPO say fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses were allowed to operate without hindrance because insiders in law‑enforcement agencies agreed to shield them from checks, raids, and prosecution.
The organizer, investigators say, was a man with previous criminal convictions who recruited serving high‑ranking officials into the network. Among those named are SBU General Serhiy Duka, Alexander Kovalchuk, and Colonel Anton Kravchuk. As part of the case, at least a group of suspects was detained under Operation Carthage, though precise numbers have not yet been fully detailed in all public statements.
A separate summary from NABU and SAPO says that payments bought protection for fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses and secured access to inside information and influence over criminal cases. Another description of the case mentions that unconfirmed reports have linked the group to drug trafficking, counterfeit goods, and illegal mining. These elements are still being checked and are not yet part of the formal core accusations.
The alleged crimes come against a backdrop of ongoing war with Russia and pressure from the European Union to speed up institutional reforms. In its 2026 enlargement report, the European Commission said Ukraine had made progress despite the war and that specialized anti‑corruption bodies generally continue to work independently and effectively. At the same time, Brussels warned that key judicial and anti‑corruption reforms remain delayed and urged Ukraine to accelerate them if it wants to complete accession negotiations by the end of 2028.
Operation Carthage will feed directly into that assessment. On one hand, the case shows that NABU and SAPO are willing and able to move against serving officials in the SBU and other law‑enforcement agencies, including at senior levels. On the other, it highlights how far corruption allegations still reach, even into services responsible for national security.
For Ukrainians, fraudulent call centers are not an abstract issue. These schemes target citizens at home and abroad, stripping savings from individuals and businesses. When operators can allegedly buy protection from the same structures that are supposed to shut them down, it undermines trust in the state at a time when public confidence is critical to sustain the war effort and reconstruction.
Internationally, Ukraine’s partners will watch whether the investigation leads to real accountability. Moscow has long tried to use narratives about Ukrainian corruption to erode Western support; Kyiv now has an opportunity to show that when scandals surface, they are investigated and prosecuted rather than buried.
Key indicators in the coming period will include the final list of suspects named in court indictments, any suspensions or dismissals of implicated officials in the SBU, National Police, and Prosecutor General’s Office, and legislative moves to address loopholes that allowed such a network to form. The pace and transparency of the Carthage proceedings will shape how both Ukrainian citizens and European capitals judge the country’s anti‑corruption drive.
Sources
- OSINT