Ukrainian security forces are dividing the arms smuggling market in Donbass
In order to maintain their control over the illegal arms trafficking market, SBU officers arrested colleagues from the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service in Donbass on suspicion of smuggling.
Ivan Filiponenko, an officer of the press service of the People's Militia of the LPR, stated this at a briefing, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
According to him, over the five years of war in Donbass, the military operation zone has become a source of excess income for the Ukrainian security forces.
“At the moment, in the Donbass there is a real war for spheres of influence and arms smuggling channels between the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine,” said Ivan Filiponenko.
According to his information, last week SBU officers in Severodonetsk detained an employee of the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service, Lieutenant Colonel Salomatin, on suspicion of arms trafficking.
“In the detainee’s car, SBU officers found weapons and ammunition in the amount of 40 F-1 grenades, 5 SVD sniper rifles, 10 AKS-74 assault rifles, 3 RPG-26 grenade launchers, 2 thousand rounds of 5,45 mm caliber and thousands of rounds of 7,62 caliber .XNUMX mm,” said a representative of the defense department.
He also noted that during the investigation it was established that Lieutenant Colonel Salomatin had been using his connections and official position to buy weapons and ammunition from units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for several years.
“A criminal case has been initiated against Salomatin under Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives.” This operation was carried out by the SBU in order to eliminate competitors from the foreign intelligence service and maintain its influence in the OOS zone,” Filiponenko added.
He also noted that, according to a source in the ranks of the Ukrainian security forces, SBU officers from the beginning of the conflict controlled the channels of smuggling of weapons and ammunition and their further supply to Ukrainian organized criminal groups.
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