The publication Bihus.Info sent a request to the Security Service of Ukraine regarding the declared awarding of the Order of Danylo Halytskyi to Roman Semenchenko, head of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood, and SBU employee Ihor Kravchenko, who, according to the journalists, were involved in monitoring their colleagues. In response, the SBU denied the existence of such an order.
In the information provided by the journalists, it is noted that in January, after conducting a surveillance operation on Bihus.Info employees, but before these data became publicly available, Roman Semenchenko and Ihor Kravchenko were proposed for awarding the Order of Danylo Halytskyi.
Journalists emphasize that, despite the fact that Bihus.Info sent a request for confirmation of this information to the SBU, they have no reason to doubt its authenticity.
Journalists explained that the Order of Danylo Halytskyi is awarded by presidential decree for "significant personal contribution to the development of Ukraine, conscientious and impeccable service to the Ukrainian people."
Also, Bihus.Info reports that after the publication of the investigation into the SBU's involvement in the surveillance of journalists, employees of the special service are prohibited from wearing branded clothes, expensive watches and luxury cars. According to the project, relevant information appeared in the SBU's internal chat rooms and reached journalists.
The Bihus.Info story also notes that after the publication of the investigation, "journalists of various newsrooms began to actively share their experiences with Igor Kravchenko on social networks." "Some of them noted that he invited them to meetings, some - that he visited them in the editorial offices. They also mentioned that Kravchenko, according to him, was ordered to deal with all journalists," the investigators noted.
In turn, the press service of the SBU in a comment to the publication "Ukrainian Pravda" denied that Roman Semenchenko and Ihor Kravchenko had an award. "We inform you about the absence of the state award "Order of Danylo Halytskyi" to the former head of the DZND of the SBU Roman Semenchenko and Ihor Kravchenko," the agency said.
On February 5, the Bihus.Info portal reported that its journalists identified persons who placed hidden cameras in hotel rooms to monitor the editorial office. Video footage from the cameras was taken during the team's vacation at a hotel in the Kyiv region at the end of December 2023. According to the Bihus.Info investigation, these actions were carried out by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine.
According to representatives of the SBU, "combating organized drug crime is one of the priority areas of work" of this special service, and the Bihus.Info operator was "among the clients of drug dealers, through whom narcotics were supplied to other persons." Meanwhile, the SBU has initiated criminal proceedings under Article 359 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal acquisition, sale or use of special technical means for obtaining information).
