The Head of the Main Department for Counterintelligence Support of Critical Infrastructure Facilities and Countering the Financing of Terrorism of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Anatoliy Loif was dismissed from his post after journalists noticed him at the birthday celebration of Kostyantyn Kolomiyets.
The release of Loif from Babel was confirmed by the SBU press service.
Earlier, journalists from Ukrainska Pravda (UP) noticed Loif at a birthday party for Kostyantyn Kolomiets. According to the journalists, Kolomiets is responsible for the security of Serhiy Portnov, the owner of the sanctioned bookmaker Parimatch, who currently lives in Cyprus.
"Ukrainska Pravda" claims that on March 1, 2025, Kolomiyetsʼ birthday was celebrated in one of the restaurants in the center of Kyiv. The head of the Main Department for Counter-Protection of State Interests in the Sphere of Economic Security of the SBU Anatoliy Loif was noticed in the restaurant.
Anatoliy Loif at the birthday celebration of Konstantin Kolomiyets.
Loif took over the position in 2024 after Artem Shylo was fired. One of the likely reasons for Shyloʼs resignation is the unfounded increase in cases that SBU is investigating against businesses, a law enforcement source told Forbes.
Shylo himself also came to the celebration. Also there was the former head of the counterintelligence department for the protection of state interests in the field of information security of SBU Ilya Vityuk, according to Ukrainska Pravda. And also Serhiy Oliynyk, known in the criminal world by the nickname "Umka". In 2021, Oliynyk came under sanctions from the National Security and Defense Council.
According to journalists, the restaurant also hosted the son of the late mayor of Kharkiv, Hennadii Kernes, Danylo Pryvalov, who has a business in the IT sector. His business partner Samvel Hakobyan was also present. The restaurant was also visited by the former first deputy director of the National Anti-Corruption Agency Gizo Uglava, and the metropolitan businessman Leonid Ashkenazi.
The Security Service of Ukraine told Babel that Anatoliy Loif was dismissed from his position "by decision of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine". They did not specify when exactly this decision was made.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.