NABU Director Discloses Salaries of His Detectives

Pay Scales at Ukraine's Anti-Corruption and Investigation Bureaus

According to Главком: In a recent statement, Semen Kryvonos, the head of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), revealed the salary figures for employees at both NABU and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). He emphasized that NABU salaries are set by law, leaving him no discretion to boost pay through bonuses. Unlike the SBI, which can award performance bonuses, NABU has no such system in place.

Salary Breakdown

According to Kryvonos, his own take-home pay ranges from 210,000 to 220,000 hryvnias per month. A new hire with little experience can expect roughly 75,000 hryvnias monthly. Unit heads and their deputies earn between 150,000 and 160,000 hryvnias. Notably, a senior NABU detective handling a case with identified losses exceeding $100 million receives 120,000 hryvnias.

Kryvonos argued that it is misleading to call these salaries high for professionals tackling massive financial crimes.

“You cannot say that people investigating cases involving hundreds of millions in damages are getting extremely high pay,” he stated.

He also debunked the myth that NABU staff earn the highest wages among law enforcement agencies.

“We do not have the highest salaries in law enforcement. That is another myth-that we are living large,” Kryvonos stressed.

These salary disclosures shed light on compensation within Ukraine's law enforcement sector, which remains modest given the scale of corruption and financial crime under investigation. The contrast with the SBI, where bonuses can supplement income, raises questions about how both agencies compete for top talent. Adequate pay and motivation are critical for sustaining anti-corruption efforts, especially as Ukraine continues its fight against high-level graft.

In light of these salary revelations, the recent discovery of surveillance equipment at the residence of NABU's chief detective raises concerns about the integrity of the agency. Such incidents highlight the ongoing challenges faced by NABU in maintaining transparency and trust. For further details on this alarming situation, visit the full report on the surveillance equipment.