LEONID DERKACH APPOINTED HEAD OF SBU

Leonid Kuchma’s edict naming Leonid Derkach, Chairman of the State Customs Committee, as the new Chief of the Ukrainian secret police, SBU, demoting Volodymyr Riabchenko to a minor post on the National Security and Defense Council, was without doubt a major development of the past week, considering its far-reaching implications. Now that everyone is closely following the President’s moves in the context of the forthcoming campaign, this top level shuffle gives quite some food for thought, reports Serhiy Zgurets, The Day.

Mr. Kuchma’s team seems resolved to enhance personal control over all power structures at this crucial stage in the history of independent Ukraine’s presidency.

Today, the SBU (Ukrainian acronym for Security Service of Ukraine) has such powerful functions as intelligence and counterintelligence, combating organized crime, corruption, terrorism, contraband, and of course drug trafficking. SBU’s broad operating range has been subject to expert debates, focusing on whether the status quo should be preserved. Last but not least, this anxiety is caused by fears of a KGB revival as an all purpose machine of repression.

Of course, now that this formidable vehicle is controlled by Lieutenant General Leonid Derkach (one of Mr. Kuchma’s men while at the head of the Pivdenmash Plant, a major Soviet defense plant), its solidity and manageability seems quite durable.