The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has opened a criminal case on December 17 regarding the illegal acquisition, sale, or use of special technical means of obtaining information after the discovery of listening devices in the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny. This was reported by the publication “Izvestia”.
The SBU statement in the Telegram channel stated, “The SBU has initiated criminal proceedings in connection with the discovery of a technical device in one of the potential locations of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny, under Part 2 of Article 359 (illegal acquisition, sale, or use of special technical means of obtaining information) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.”
Representatives of the SBU clarified that the surveillance devices were found not in the Commander-in-Chief’s own office, but in one of the rooms that could have been used by him in the future.
According to preliminary information, the discovered surveillance device was not in working condition. During the search, SBU officers did not find any data storage or remote data transmission devices. The SBU announced the seizure of the listening device for further examination.
On the same evening, it was also reported that listening devices were found in Zaluzhny’s office. It was reported that these devices were made from unidentified elements, making it difficult to determine the installer.
Earlier this week, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), Oleksiy Danilov, stated that the meetings of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s staff were characterized by intense discussions between the President of the country, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhny.
It was previously known that the conflict between Zelensky and Zaluzhny arose as a result of a counteroffensive failure. According to information from The Economist, the relationship between the President and the Commander-in-Chief is described as extremely tense.
Earlier, a retired Czech army general pointed out Ukraine’s mistakes in the counteroffensive.
