The SSU has dismantled a cell of a transnational criminal group that aimed to gain a foothold in Ukraine. The criminals were coordinated by the so-called thief in law from the Chechen Republic of Russia and were engaged in racketeering.

According to preliminary data, the group consisted of foreigners, including Russian citizens, natives of the Middle East, as well as ethnic Ukrainians.

The SSU documented the perpetrators extorting USD 1 mln from a private entrepreneur. The racketeers claimed that this sum is part of a ‘debt’, which they demanded to pay in several tranches.

The gangsters used violence against the victim and threatened to kill him and his family.

The SSU detained one of the criminals ‘red-handed’ when he received the first tranche of USD 70,000.

Kyiv Pechersk District Court has already chosen detention without bail as a measure of restraint.

Criminal proceedings have been opened under Article 189 of the CCU (extortion). Investigation is underway to identify and bring to justice all those involved.

The SSU carried out the operation jointly with the investigators of Pechersk Police Department under the supervision of Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.