During the interview, Osadchuk was asked about Yehor Burkin,
the founder of the Khimprom drug cartel, who appears in NABU files under the
alias “Mexican.” In private messages, Burkin reportedly speaks openly about his
ties to Russia’s FSB, and the possibility that he may have given Moscow lists of
Ukrainian officials most susceptible to corruption.
“The Carthage case is not just about corruption, not just
about crime and not just about the mafia; it is a direct threat to national
security,” Osadchuk said.
“On one hand, we have been holding the front line for five years,
losing people, losing infrastructure and enduring millions of personal
tragedies. At the same time, the people who are supposed to protect us have
used the powers we granted them under the law to effectively turn themselves
into a mafia.”
On Nov. 4, NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption
Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) announced that they had uncovered a Russian-linked
drug syndicate as part of Operation Carthage. According to investigators, the
group operated under the protection of SBU and National Police officials. Its
members are suspected of operating fraudulent call centers, trafficking drugs,
producing counterfeit cigarettes and forging foreign currency.