Investigation reveals wife of SBU cybersecurity chief acquired premium real estate during war
The wife of the chief of the cyber security department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Illia Vitiuk, reportedly bought an apartment in a premium residential complex in Kyiv worth Hr 20 million ($512,000).
A new investigation by Slidstvo.Info revealed that the apartment was bought for Hr 12.8 million, but the market price for the apartment is listed at 20 million.
The official salary for Vitiuk is not enough for such a purchase, but his wife, Yulia, bought the apartment during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A renovated apartment of this size can reportedly cost up to $1.5 million.
The investigation comes amidst reports from Vitiuk himself that Russian intelligence services have launched a "huge number" of disinformation and psychological operations against Ukraine's top government and military officials. Vitiuk also emphasized that Russia is targeting him specifically.
Vitiuk earns Hr 1.8 million annually, while his wife reportedly made Hr 9.4 million in profit in 2022 and Hr 13.4 million in 2023. Yulia Vitiuk refused to comment on her business and the new apartment.
Last December, Ukraine re-opened the public register of electronic declarations, which requires public officials to declare their property and assets.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Chair of Ukraine's Anti-Monopoly Committee, Pavlo Kyrylenko, was under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecution Office (SAPO) over suspected illicit enrichment.
An investigation by RFE/RL found that Kyrylenko's family acquired real estate and cars worth over Hr 70 million ($1.8 million) between 2020 and 2023. None of his relatives own a business, and their salary would not be sufficient for such a purchase, as RFE/RL noted.
Ukraine continues to tackle cases of internal corruption within its government and military, though often with mixed results.
Read also: Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau makes progress yet doesn’t take on top presidential allies
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