The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) chief Vasyl Malyuk met with the ambassadors of the G7 countries. They discussed the issue of Ukraine's democratic development and the monitoring of journalists of the Bihus.Info project, which the SSU Department of National State Protection (SSU DNSP) reportedly organised.
A meeting between Maliuk and G7 ambassadors
The SSU reported that the ambassadors received answers regarding the situation surrounding the Bihus.Info editorial office.
According to Vasyl Malyuk, personnel decisions have been made, in particular, by the SSU DNSP chief Roman Semenchenko, which had been dismissed. There will also be reformatting of the work of those units of the department that need changes and strengthening.
Independence in the work of mass media must be ensured 100%. It is the standard we must hold high, especially during the war. I will not allow violations of this overriding principle of democracy in the SSU activities.
Vasyl Malyuk
SSU chief
In addition, the SSU's contribution to the defence of Ukraine was discussed at the meeting, in particular the impression of the Crimean Bridge, the ousting of the Russian Federation from the Black Sea with the help of surface drones, the destruction of enemy military equipment, military facilities and infrastructure that supports the Russian military-industrial complex, and other special operations.
Previously, Ukraine MPs called Malyuk to report to the Verkhovna Rada because of spying on journalists. Maliuk said that the surveillance of Bihus.Info journalists by his subordinates was unacceptable.
Spying on the Bihus.Info journalists: what is known
On January 16, the Narodna Pravda resource shared a video on the Internet in which several representatives of Bihus.Info probably used drugs at a corporate party. The video also contains recordings of conversations and phone calls of these employees.
The founder of the project, Denys Bigus, said that operators who use drugs in the video will be fired.
Bigus added that representatives of the "yet to be identified service" installed cameras in the rooms of the suburban complex, where members of the Bihus.Info team were celebrating a corporate party.
On February 5, investigative journalists of Bihus.Info reported that SSU DNSP employees installed hidden cameras in hotel rooms to monitor the editorial staff.
On January 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the SSU DNSP chief Roman Semenchenko.
After the investigation, the SSU reported that the Bihus.Info operator was involved in the case of illegal production and possession of drugs.
