Operation “Pushkin”. How did the SBU recruit the journalist of the “Country” who photographed the Spanish villa Poroshenko

“Country” for 10 days, watched, recorded and documented a security officer who threatened to punish the journalist of the “Country” Vyacheslav Seleznev, who photographed in May this year the villa of President Petro Poroshenko in the Spanish city of Marbella.

Esbauchnik demanded that our journalist supply him with information about what is happening in the editorial office.

In case of refusal to cooperate, he promised big troubles (up to beating, prison and problems with my mother).

As a result, we have obtained a unique material with full documentation of illegal methods, which the SBU uses to pressure the Ukrainian media.

Who is Vyacheslav?

Vyacheslav – paparazzi “Countries”, a photo of which is published on our website under the pseudonym of Izum Kaumbayev.

He, together with his colleague-journalist Kirill Malyshev, flew to Spain, Marbella, in May to find real estate and land on the Spanish coast, which the president and people from his closest circle own through a chain of off-shores.

And they found them. We published an article that caused a very big response.

What did this lead to?

Since then, both journalists have had problems.

In the spring Kirill Malysheva was expelled from the Kharkov National University. Karazin, after having handed him the summons to the military commissariat directly on the exam.

When trying to transfer to a new university in the summer of 2018 (that is, after the publication of the Spanish villa), he faced a problem: university staff said that they had been called from the SBU and lucidly explained to the administration that problems might arise if Malyshev was enrolled.

But even more harsh actions were taken against Glory. An outside surveillance was set up behind him, his phone was put on “wiretapping”, as the journalist reported in the editorial office, but we could not get actual and formal confirmation of this for a long time.

What happened?

Two weeks ago Slava bought 4 (four) grams of marijuana for personal consumption. Soon after the purchase he was detained by the police. The journalist of the Country, as a law-abiding citizen, agreed to pay an administrative fine (under the law from fifty to one hundred non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens), but something went wrong.

Who is “Pushkin” and how did he appear in the business?

According to our paparazzi, he was put into a car by force. “There were about seven of them altogether, and then they took me to a conversation with some incomprehensible two who showed themselves to the SBU by showing their IDs.” One of them was called Sasha, a blonde, about 1.78-tall, thin, with a slight unshaven and whiskers, “- says our journalist.

“We’ll call him” Pushkin “- we decided later in the editorial meeting.

The SBU officer started the conversation firmly and in a businesslike way: “We need a” Country. “Until we close them, you’ll work for us, and then we’ll let you go.” And he offered to cooperate with the journalist with the Security Service as an informant.

“He said:” You will help us, then you will be all right. And if you refuse, you simply release the garbage. You’ll tell the editorial staff, we’ll set on you a baryg, let’s say that you handed over the dealer, “our journalist recalled.

Then they took Slava to one of the police stations and did not let them call lawyers. “Now I’m your lawyer, we’ll decide everything,” Pushkin solemnly declared.

The journalist was kept in the police all night and released only on condition that he begin to cooperate with the SBU. “Under such tough pressure, they forced me to sign documents on cooperation with the SBU on a regular” drain “of information,” our journalist says.

Slava went to the office and told all his colleagues. And we decided to start a journalistic investigation, completely documenting the communication with Pushkin, – to record all the telephone conversations, messages, meetings and “commands” that he gave to our journalist.

It turned out, as the well-known kinopersonazh said, “oil painting.”

How did we lead “Pushkin”

The first meeting between Slava and Pushkin was short and consisted mainly of threats and blackmail – a member of the Security Service thus strengthened “friendly” relations.

He set the condition – to inform him in the telephone mode. The communication channel for communication Esbehouse chose Telegram.

And already the first message contained mail (In4orm@ukr.net), on which he demanded to send graphics of editorial assignments: what are the routes, plans for the week, which of journalists travels to what tasks and so on, the list of editorial staff, phone numbers and home addresses .

At the same meeting, Pushkin set before Slava the second task – to find out whether drugs are used by Svetlana Kryukova, deputy editor-in-chief of the Country, Veronika Kifichak, the immediate leader of Glory, the head of the private life department, and journalist Kirill Malyshev.

According to the task set, it was clear that the SBU regrets that until now they have not unearthed any compromising material on our journalists, but they definitely intend to find it.

In addition, it was very important for Pushkin to know on what day the editorial staff was issuing a salary, as well as the details of the trip to Spain for President Poroshenko’s dacha: for whose account, by whose instructions, who paid for housing, who met on the spot, how they moved about Spain, on which site they booked an apartment.

According to our agreement, Slava did not respond immediately with a refusal, but referred to the fact that he can not immediately answer the questions, because he knows little about the editorial plans.

Further “Pushkin” appoints Slava a second meeting. He takes our journalist in the Shevchenko park, places him in a Skoda car and takes him to McDonald’s on Sevastopol Square.

Glory completely records the conversation on the recorder.

From the conversation it is clear that Pushkin suspects that our journalist has told the editorial board everything and even invites him to pass a polygraph test.

But the main thing is that he is trying to intimidate Glory, directly threatening him with reprisal in case of refusal to cooperate or “drain” information about communication with the SBU.

Here are the brightest moments of that conversation:

P (“Pushkin”): I do not envy you. Well, one thing I can tell you: yes, you got into a bad situation. I’m telling you specifically – yes, b … d, I would not know how I would act in your place. Honestly, I’ll tell you. But I can tell you one thing: that you are lucky, that you are in contact with me. I have people at work who will talk to you absolutely differently.

C (Glory): Pee … me? For what? Because I do not know anything?

P: Look, pee … t … this is not ruled out, everything can be. But nobody will touch you while you are with us in a normal relationship. You will not get into trouble. You now, b … d, you leave work, you’ll hire a lawyer – then there will be trouble and pi … t will be. Nah .. do you need it?

S: Well, then I’m leaving Kiev.

P: Do you think it’s that simple? Left from work. He left Kiev. If you now take – then it means to hide from the investigation. You can have big troubles.

…

P: What will you do in your Great Alexandrovka?

C: I’ll go to Poland for work.

P: We will close the “Country” – you will go. Glory, you’re normal. We do not offend our people.

S: What kind of person am I? Want me to merge information. If I do not know anything.

P: What should I give at work? That Slavik refuses to work and himself hires a lawyer. Are you sure? Do you understand that we can get to Alexandrovka?

C: And what is there?

P: What about your relatives?

S: Mom? So what does the mother have to do with it?

P: Well, you do not care. Come on … to yourself.

“Pushkin” and his face

After this recording we were ready to make a publication. But we had a problem – we could not take a picture of Pushkin himself because of his conspiracy.

Therefore, on Monday, September 17, decided to invite Slava to the SBU officer to talk in some crowded place. But, unexpectedly, on Sunday, September 16, “Pushkin” himself got in touch and demanded a meeting on Monday. Since at that time Slava was supposed to be on the conciliation board in the Verkhovna Rada, we agreed to meet at the Mariinsky Park.

“Pushkin” drove up in the lunch area. And agreed to walk in the park, where we photographed it and shot it on video. We also installed the number of the car on which he arrived with the driver – the gray Skoda Octavia with the state number AA5782IM.

From our own sources in the police, we managed to find out that this car was registered with the SBU.

What are we going to do next?

Glory at the time of publication of this publication is already in a safe place.

We do not intend to leave this story just like that. Moreover, this is only one (although unprecedented in its frankness) episode of pressure on the publication and our journalists. Five criminal cases have already been fabricated against the editor-in-chief. Journalists are constantly receiving threats of physical violence. Mail and instant messengers have repeatedly tried to hack. There is constant surveillance of Svetlana Kryukova and other employees.

We are talking about a campaign planned by the authorities to prepare for reprisal with our publication.

So, what are we going to do?

First, we will file a complaint with the military prosecutor’s office (it is she who is investigating the crimes committed by the SBU officers) with a demand to open criminal proceedings. The actions of “Pushkin” fall at once under several articles of the criminal code (more about this – in the comments of the lawyer below).

Secondly, we want to establish the identity of “Pushkin” and hope this will help our readers. Also let us know what you know about the other tricks of “Pushkin”, as well as about similar actions of the SBU against other journalists.

Thirdly – to give maximum publicity to this story. To draw attention of international organizations to it, because we understand that the main customer of the campaign against us is sitting in the chair of the head of state. Therefore, we rely more on the efforts of international organizations than on the progress of the investigation in Ukraine. Although we will take all the measures envisaged by law so that criminal proceedings are opened and investigative actions commenced.

Moreover, the story of “Pushkin” is unique. For the first time, it was possible to clearly record the criminal activities of the SBU officers against journalists. And this, in any case, will not remain without consequences. If not now, then in the near future.

Before the presidential elections, we recall, only six months.

Lawyer: “There are at once three articles of the Criminal Code”

The legal aspects of the actions of the SBU “Pushkin” employee at the request of “Country” are commented by the well-known lawyer Andrei Smirnov.

– How can you name what the SBU officer is doing?

– This is called simply – a criminal offense for which such employees must bear the strict punishment provided for by the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

– What crime do you see in this conversation?

– There are several. This is the persecution of a journalist in connection with his lawful professional activities (art. 171 of the Criminal Code), and the threat or violence against a journalist (Article 345-1 of the Criminal Code), as well as the excess of power or official position by a law enforcement officer (Article 365 of the Criminal Code) . Depending on the consequences of such illegal activities of special services employees, qualifications can be supplemented / changed.

– What are the consequences for a security officer and security services in general may be due to such a scandal?

– In normal countries, such scandals lead to the inevitable detention of such an employee, bringing him to justice and immediately resigning the heads of special services working on a private contract with the president. But this is in another country … So I doubt that globally this situation can lead to some consequences for the manual service of the president at the moment. We with you understand political aspects. The uneducated employee is likely to be dismissed hindsight, then they state a provocation and that such an employee has never been or was, but has long been dismissed, and therefore the Service can not give any assessment of the situation. But this, I repeat, at the moment. If the situation in the country changes, the consequences can be much more serious.

The information is taken from: https://strana.ua/articles/rassledovania/161710-operatsija-pushkin-kak-sotrudnik-sbu-uhrozami-i-shantazhom-verboval-paparatstsi-strany-kotoryj-sfotohrafiroval-ispanskuju-villu-poroshenko- .html