Ukrainian Investigation Bureau To Interrogate Head Of Zelenskyy's Office

The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (SBI) plans to interrogate the head of the President's office, Andriy Yermak, and possibly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself, within days for blocking an operation to arrest 33 Russians, the acting head of the SBI, Oleksiy Sukhachev said on Thursday

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2021) The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (SBI) plans to interrogate the head of the President's office, Andriy Yermak, and possibly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself, within days for blocking an operation to arrest 33 Russians, the acting head of the SBI, Oleksiy Sukhachev said on Thursday.

Earlier in November, the Insider and Bellingcat (both recognized as foreign agents in Russia) reported that Zelenskyy personally approved a 2020 operation to arrest 33 Russians due to their alleged involvement in the events in Donbas. According to the publications, on July 23, 2020, former Ukrainian operatives arrived at the president's office to present a final report on the upcoming operation. However, Zelenskyy reportedly redirected them to Yermak who asked them to postpone the operation.

"We will be summoning Mr. Yermak for questioning in several days. Why are we not doing this now? Because we are waiting for certain information from the law enforcement agencies... If necessary, the investigator will use his right and summon the president for questioning," Sukhachev said on the 1+1 tv channel.

He also revealed that the president's office asked to postpone the operation on three occasions.

Earlier in November, the ex-head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Vasily Burba, said that there was a "mole" among the Ukrainian authorities who allegedly works in the interests of Russia and is responsible for the failure of the 2020 operation.

On July 29, 2020, 33 Russian citizens were arrested in Belarus on suspicion of preparing riots during the election campaign. Moscow said the people were most likely in transit in the country and missed their flight. The Kremlin noted that those arrested did not commit illegal actions, and Russia had never interfered in the internal affairs of Belarus.

Kiev demanded the extradition of 28 people arrested in Belarus to prosecute them for alleged crimes related to participation in the conflict in Donbas.

In August, 32 of the 33 arrested were returned to Russia. The one Russian remaining, who also had Belarusian citizenship, remained on the territory of Belarus.