Security Service of Ukraine conducted searches in the offices of Russian media giant Yandex
On May 29, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted searches in the Kyiv and Odessa offices of the Russian internet search and IT Company Yandex. Yandex stated that they do not know the reasons for the search.
"Representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) are currently in our offices in Kyiv and Odessa. We do not have information regarding the reasons for today's actions of the SBU. Attorneys have already left for our offices. Within the framework of legal procedures, we are ready to provide necessary information to the authorities," said Asya Melkumova, the head of the Press Office at Yandex, to the publication Marketing Challenge.
At the same time, the Press Secretary of the SBU, Elena Hitlyanska, stated in her commentary that the searches are being held on the basis of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - high treason. The article extends to the threat of national information security. If found guilty under this article, the individual faces imprisonment for 12-15 years under with confiscation of property.
The Press Secretary for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on the searches. He explained that the Kremlin "needs to understand the situation."
By the evening of May 29, a report appeared on the website of the SBU: "Law enforcers determined that the management of the company illegally collected, stored and transferred personal data of Ukrainian citizens to Russia." The SBU also clarified that it is talking about personal data, occupation, preferences, residential and work addresses, hobbies, as well as sources and amounts of income, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and accounts in social networks.
The Special Services operatives documented that among the citizens about whom information was transmitted to the Russian Federation are law enforcement and Special Forces officers, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other units participating in the military operation in the east of Ukraine, and employees of the government and government agencies.
The SBU added that during the searches server equipment was seized, which will be sent for examination. They will check the facts of the collection, storage and transfer of personal data.
"The experts will also analyze the redirection of Ukrainian users' traffic to Russian servers, as well as check the coordination of unlawful activities from the territory of the Russian Federation," SBU reported.
At the same time, the press service of the IT Company denies the charges.
Later Yandex management issues a statement in response to SBU accusations.
"Neither the employees of Yandex-Ukraine, nor the leadership of the Ukrainian unit, had access to personal data of users," said Yandex’s Press Office, emphasizing that the protection of personal data of users is "the company's highest priority." Yandex clarified that in order to disclose information to law enforcement officers, the company needs to be convinced of the validity of such a demand on the part of the authorities and receive a corresponding court decision.
Earlier, on May 17, President Petro Poroshenko's decree on sanctions against legal entities and individuals in Ukraine came into effect. Restrictions have been imposed against 468 companies. Among other things, the document instructs Ukrainian Internet providers to block access to the search engine Yandex and other services of the company.