Security Service of Ukraine

The Security Service of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Служба безпеки України (СБУ); Sluzhba bezpeky Ukrayiny) or SBU is Ukraine's law-enforcement authority and main government security agency in the areas of counterintelligence activity and combating terrorism.

Duties and responsibilities

The Security Service of Ukraine is vested, within its competence defined by law, with the protection of national sovereignty, constitutional order, territorial integrity, economical, scientific, technical, and defense potential of Ukraine, legal interests of the state, and civil rights, from intelligence and subversion activities of foreign special services and from unlawful interference attempted by certain organizations, groups and individuals, as well with ensuring the protection of state secrets.

Other duties include combating crimes that endanger the peace and security of mankind, terrorism, corruption, and organized criminal activities in the sphere of management and economy, as well as other unlawful acts immediately threatening Ukraine's vital interests.

Organization

The general structure and operational methods of SBU appear to be very similar to that of its predecessor (KGB of Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) with exception of Ukrainian Border Guards and department responsible for security of high-rank state officials. Both of them became independent institutions. However the SBU keeps under control special operation units Alpha with bases in every Ukrainian province. According to British political expert Taras Kuzio the organizational structure of SBU remains to be as bloated in size as the Soviet Ukrainian KGB because the total number of active officers as high as 30,000. It is six times larger than British domestic MI5 and external MI6 combined together.

Structure

Central Apparatus (consists of some 25 departments)

Main Directorate on Corruption and Organized Crime Counteraction

Regional Departments (26 departments)

Special Department

Anti-Terrorist Center cooperates with numerous ministries and other state agencies such as the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Emergencies, State Border Guard Service, and others.

Educational Institutions

National Academy of Security Service of Ukraine

Institute in preparation of Service Personnel at the National Law Academy of Yaroslav the Wise.

Others

State Archives of the SBU

Special Group "Alpha"