Last September Oleksandr Turchynov resigned as head of the Ukrainian Security Services, [SBU] on the day PM Yuliya Tyomoshenko and her cabinet had been sacked by President Yushchenko. He was quickly replaced by Ihor Drizhchanyi who promised, when introduced by Yushchenko, to 'spare no effort' to make the Security Service a modern, efficient body, which will serve the nation's interests.
Turchynov, in a press conference following his resignation, said he had been closing in on persons close to President Yushchenko linked to corruption in the gas industry, but was told to 'back off' by Yushchenko himself.
A few days ago, on 1st June, "Ukrayina Moloda" a Ukrainian daily edited by presidential adviser Mykhaylo Doroshenko, published a sensational article "Ihor Drizhchanyi leases out Security Service of Ukraine to serve the Clans and Moscow".
A quote: "Athough it is unpleasant to admit, but after the victory of Maidan democracy the SBU has gradually slid away from state control. But worse, in such a situation, clans and even [those from] abroad are striving to control Volodymyrska St, [SBU headquarters] and not state officials." The article state that by those from abroad they clearly mean 'Moscow'.
[There is a summary in the current AUR #706 here, but the original lengthy original article is well worth reading because the revelations are so startling.]
Just one revelation: The current 'gray cardinal' in the SBU, Volodymyr Radchenko, who headed the SBU in the days of Kuchma and is now an adviser to Drizhchanyi, allegedly sold a portion of land adjacent the SBU main building in Kyiv to 'king of Donbas' Rinat Akhmetov to provide the Donbas elite with luxury penthouses and apartments. Some in the Donbas-based PRU wanted Radchenko as their candidate in the 2004 Presidential elections - a 'Ukrainian Putin', rather than twice-jailed Yanukovych.
Because the breadth and seriousness of the allegations in the article are so great, and 'Ukraina Moloda' so close to the President, this story will 'run and run'.
ps Check out British 'Independent' here for story on the business in Feodosiya/
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