Ukrainian investigative journalist Denys Bihus, founder of Bihus.Info, has confirmed he serves as a non-staff operative for Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). The admission followed allegations from MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, who published documents he claims show Bihus is a registered public operative of the SBU’s operational unit, including a signed agreement and receipt.
Bihus insists the cooperation is informal, unpaid, and unrelated to his editorial work. Still, the revelation has raised concerns about the independence and transparency of journalists with any degree of affiliation to state security services.
The disclosure
In a video statement, Bihus explained that he works with the SBU’s Military Counterintelligence Department, describing the cooperation as unpaid and informal, with no salary, mobilization deferment, or official benefits.
“It gives me absolutely nothing — just the ability to occasionally assist with operations or access certain locations when needed,” Bihus said.
He added that he was discharged from military service in November 2023 due to his role in the Patrol Police, after which he registered with a military recruitment office. He emphasized that he is not on any reserve list, has no deferment, and receives no compensation for his cooperation with the SBU.
His relatively straightforward discharge has drawn public attention, highlighting frustrations among Ukrainian soldiers and families who face significant barriers to leaving military service, as the country still lacks a clear demobilization framework.
Rejecting surveillance allegations
Bihus also addressed speculation that his cooperation with the SBU resulted from a past incident in which Bihus.Info journalists were allegedly surveilled and caught using drugs. He clarified that he works with the Military Counterintelligence Department, which supports frontline operations, and not the SBU’s Internal Security Directorate, the unit responsible for the surveillance.
“I’m assisting military counterintelligence during wartime. That’s not scandalous — it’s service,” he said. “And when the SBU messes up, our newsroom reports on it.”
Honcharenko’s counterattack
MP Honcharenko responded with sarcasm, framing Bihus’s statement as a reluctant admission:
“More than a day later, Denys Bihus finally pulled himself together and recorded a video about his work for the SBU. He made a coming out,” he wrote on Telegram.
Honcharenko questioned the ease of Bihus’s discharge, suggesting most Ukrainian soldiers are not afforded the same privilege:
“It’s unfortunate others can’t just walk away from the army whenever they want. The recruitment office hasn’t seen this ‘unique combat veteran’ for over a year and a half.”
He also criticized Bihus’s silence on abuses by military recruitment offices, which have faced growing scrutiny over forced conscription and civilian mistreatment.
The broader conflict
The clash between Bihus and Honcharenko follows a Bihus.Info investigation that accused the MP of self-promotion through his nationwide Honcharenko Centers. In response, Honcharenko demanded that the outlet disclose its financial backing — a move Bihus described as political pressure on independent journalism.
Bihus.Info has since filed complaints with both the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech and the Parliamentary Ethics Committee, citing improper attempts to interfere with its work.