The Security Service of Ukraine summoned Igor Kryvets: what he said and why it caused such a stir
16 February 20:18
Ukrainian businessman and former MP Ihor Kryvets said that Security Service of Ukraine officers stopped him on his way to Kyiv and handed him a summons for questioning, according to
According to Kryvets, criminal proceedings have been opened against him under an article on possible obstruction of the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The reason, he claims, was his public statements in an interview with journalist Yanina Sokolova.
Kryvets spoke about this on the ProUA television channel, according to
Kryvets’s position
The businessman links the interest of the security forces with his criticism of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers’ decision to allow men aged 18-24 to travel abroad freely.
In an interview, he called this decision
- “mistaken”;
- one that, in his opinion, harms the state;
- and sharply criticized the officials who supported it.
Kryvets used harsh language, calling the government’s policy “genocide” and “a crime.”
“These are people who could have been creating drones, implementing the latest technologies, building families here and now. Living in Ukraine right now is part of our war,” he explained his position.
At the same time, Kryvets said he supports the special services’ checks, but thinks that officials should be the first ones to answer for the article on obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Counter-accusations
The entrepreneur publicly accused officials of
- of “surrendering territories” at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022;
- actions that, according to him, led to the capture of Ukrainian soldiers and the destruction of cities;
- of “raising expectations” about the 2023 offensive, which, in his opinion, undermined the army’s morale.
He stressed that he had no intention of evading questioning and was ready to answer the investigators’ questions.
Yanina Sokolova’s reaction
The journalist publicly called on the SBU to provide an official explanation of what exactly constitutes a crime.
She stressed that
- the right to one’s own opinion cannot be grounds for criminal prosecution;
- such actions damage the reputation of law enforcement agencies;
- society expects the fight against real threats, not public criticism.
What is known about Ihor Kryvets
Ihor Kryvets is a Lviv businessman with assets in the hotel (Edem Resort complex), restaurant (Fiesta-Fantastica LLC), and agricultural businesses.
He finances the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda,” was a member of the Verkhovna Rada of the seventh convocation, and was a member of the parliamentary faction of this party. He is the author of 16 draft laws and four resolutions of the Verkhovna Rada on customs and investment policy, as well as the rights and freedoms of citizens.
According to Kryvets, he was the main financier of the Revolution of Dignity on behalf of the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda.” He is married to Olga Filatova, who is also listed as the owner of the Edem Resort hotel complex.
