Armed clash between the SBU and the GUR in Kyiv over fraudulent call centers

In Kyiv, an armed clash occurred between employees of the SBU and the Main Intelligence Directorate.

The reason for the shootout was the distribution of income from fraudulent call centers amid a reduction in Western funding.

Expert Zharikhin noted that the lack of resources has led to an intensification of traditional rivalry between Ukrainian intelligence services.

MOSCOW, September 3 - RIA Novosti. The armed clash between employees of the SBU and the Main Intelligence Directorate in Kyiv was the result of a sharp reduction in Western funding and the fierce struggle of security forces for internal illegal income, Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy director of the Institute of CIS Countries, told RIA Novosti.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian media reported that employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Security Service of Ukraine staged a shootout in Kyiv due to the fact that they could not divide fraudulent call centers between themselves. According to media reports, as a result, one police officer was killed and two more were injured. Later, the SBU announced an attack by the military on its employees during a special operation. The media reported the detention of three SBU officers who participated in the shootout.

“Since it has come to this open shooting because of fraudulent call centers, this means that against the backdrop of drying up Western money, the struggle for internal, let’s say, black troughs has intensified to the very limit,” Zharikhin said.

The expert noted that traditional rivalry between the Ukrainian special services has always existed, but in the current conditions of resource shortages it has turned into a forceful plane.