SBU Gen. Serhii Duka spent hours destroying phones with an ax during search

According to Karas, NABU detectives arrived at the SBU general's residence at 5:30 a.m. with a search warrant issued by an investigating judge.

However, when they attempted to conduct the search, Duka and his armed security guards began resisting law enforcement officers.

The prosecutor said the guards chambered rounds in their weapons and aimed laser sights at NABU detectives.

The standoff lasted about two hours. During that time, Duka was destroying physical evidence, including smashing phones with an ax.

Karas described the behavior as brazen and intended to obstruct NABU's lawful actions. According to him, Duka and his guards cited an order authorizing security measures.

However, the prosecutor stressed that such an order does not carry greater legal authority than a search warrant issued by an investigating judge.

Duka was detained Wednesday, Nov. 4, at approximately 1 p.m. According to the prosecutor, investigators have until 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, to secure a court decision on a pretrial detention measure.

In addition, criminal proceedings were opened following a complaint filed by NABU over resistance to its detectives. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is investigating the case.

On Nov. 4, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Oleksandr Poklad dismissed two senior agency officials implicated in NABU's investigation as part of Operation Carthage.

On Nov. 4, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) announced that their investigation into Operation Carthage had uncovered a Russian-linked drug trafficking syndicate operating a network of fraudulent call centers with the support of SBU and National Police officials.

According to investigators, members of the criminal organization operated fraudulent call centers, trafficked drugs and illegally produced counterfeit cigarettes and forged foreign currency under the protection of law enforcement officials.

According to sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda and Babel, anti-corruption authorities detained senior National Police officials Volodymyr Tsenov and Oleksandr Demianchuk, as well as boxing club founder Oleksandr Rybalko, on Nov. 4 as part of Operation Carthage.

Also on Nov. 4, NABU officers detained Gen. Serhii Duka, first deputy head of the SBU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood.

On Nov. 5, NABU and SAPO formally notified five members of the drug trafficking syndicate uncovered during Operation Carthage that they were suspected of committing crimes. The syndicate operated a network of fraudulent call centers.

On Nov. 5, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) ordered Vitalii Rybalko, nicknamed Boxer, held in custody without the possibility of bail.

Also on Nov. 5, Volodymyr Tsenov, first deputy head of the National Police's Strategic Investigations Department, was ordered held in pretrial detention for 60 days, with bail set at 15 million hryvnias.

On Nov. 6, the High Anti-Corruption Court ordered Oleksandr Demianchuk, nicknamed Consultant, held in custody without bail. Demianchuk is a deputy department head in the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the National Police's Main Directorate in Kyiv Oblast and a suspect in Operation Carthage.