Security Service of Ukraine: The foreigner previously detained in Kyiv for falsification of documents appeared to be involved with al Qaeda

WATCH IN ENGLISH

A foreigner with forged Ukrainian passport cooperated with saboteurs prior to his detention.

Kyiv, May 20, 2016. A citizen of one of the Asian countries, who had been previously arrested for forging documents, appeared to be involved in the al Qaeda activities and was on the Interpol’s wanted list. This was stated by Olena Gitlyanska, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) spokesperson, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “He entered Ukraine with a forged Ukrainian national passport and applied for a foreign passport to travel to one of the European countries,” noted Olena Gitlyanska. On April 26, he was given a suspended sentence to serve 3 years in prison for forgery. After an additional check he appeared to be on the Interpol’s wanted list. “Now he has been detained and is eligible for extradition to his native country,” added the spokeswoman.

The Security Service of Ukraine has put inhabitant of Izmayil Mykola Iorhov, one of the direct organizers of the explosion in Novooleksiyivka (Kherson region), on  the wanted list. As a result of that terrorist attack one person was killed and six wounded. “It was discovered that he had repeatedly visited Crimea and Russia to contact with his curators from the intelligence services,” noted Ms. Gitlyanska. She informed that two members of the group have been detained; now they are giving evidence. “One of them is a native of Odesa region, another – of Kherson region. We do not disclose their names in the interests of the investigation,” she explained.

Spokeswoman also reported that the SBU counterintelligence eliminated Russian residency in Luhansk region. An acting representative of the State Service for Emergencies in Luhansk region was a member of the organization. Besides, the organization was led by one of the members of the Communist Party of Ukraine, who was wanted for organizing a pseudo referendum in Maryinka district of Donetsk region in the spring of 2014. “They performed the tasks of the foreign intelligence service: spied on the movements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and checkpoints, collected other important information and passed it to the Russian intelligence services. Now consideration is being given to the institution of criminal proceedings against them for “treason against the State” (Article 111),” informed Ms. Gitlyanska.

She added that in the ATO area, the Security Service exposed multimillion financial deals. “A group of intruders provided illegal money transfer and cashing services using cryptocurrency and international payment systems,” explained Olena Gitlyanska. During its activities the group managed to make a quick gain exceeding 50 million hryvnias. Besides, the illegal scheme of trading with the enterprises of the occupied territories was exposed. “Private entrepreneurs signed contracts with coal mines on the temporarily occupied territories and exported wood from Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr and other regions,” explained the spokeswoman. A part of the wood was also exported abroad through shady schemes. “During searches 1.5 million hryvnias, nearly 500 thousand euros and 7 kg of gold was found in Kyiv alone,” noted the SBU spokesperson. Besides, a consignment of wood was seized in Kherson region. They planned to sell it using the same scheme.

The Security Service of Ukraine spokesperson informed that with the Kyiv mayor’s office’s assistance two employees of the Kyiv City State Administration and Kyiv rescue service were disclosed and arrested. They exacted a bribe of 60 thousand hryvnias from entrepreneurs for restoring the operation of gas filling stations. In Kharkiv, the Security Service arrested a 62-year-old supporter of Communist ideology, an active participant of Antymaidan, who made a bomb scare call about Kharkiv subway stations to be renamed as part of decommunisation. Thus she tried to express her protest.