Ukraine security services face internal conflict and corruption risks

Internal conflicts and corruption within Ukraine’s security apparatus are intensifying, driven by power struggles and the lucrative criminal industry. Recent firefights between the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) highlight deep divisions between various factions and leadership loyalties.

A major driver of this instability is the massive telephone scam industry operating within Ukraine. Estimates suggest there may be up to 1,500 scam centers generating significant monthly revenue. While these operations are sometimes used as a tool of hybrid warfare to disrupt Russia, they have also created a massive criminal economy that threatens to undermine state institutions.

Corruption within law enforcement remains a critical issue. The recent resignation of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko follows revelations that investigators were accepting bribes to protect scammers. Concerns persist among Western and domestic agencies regarding the vulnerability of the SBU to extortion, embezzlement, and protection rackets.