ESB official questions Bihus.Info journalist on her family’s income during interview

Serhiy Zhuravliov, deputy head of the Territorial ESB (Economic Security Bureau) Department in Volyn oblast, started asking questions back during an interview with Bihus.Info journalist Olha Matveyeva, in particular about her family’s income. The project reported in a Facebook post, and Matveyeva elaborated on the matter in a comment to Institute of Mass Information journalist Valentyna Troyan.

Olha Matveyeva asked the official for a comment as part of an investigation into his family’s hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property. The journalist said that as they were recording the interview, Serhiy Zhuravliov started expressing an interest in the income of her own family.

“I came to an official whose salary is payed from our taxes for explanations about his property. Whereas none of my family members have ever worked in the government,” the journalist said in a comment to IMI.

Matveyeva added that the official did answer her questions and provide explanations regarding his own assets, citing inspections by regulatory authorities.

“The exchange about my family took place at the end of our conversation. Namely, as he was explaining how the country’s economy used to work before and why some revenues might not show up in official reporting now,” said Olha Matveyeva.

Despite the conversation taking a peculiar turn, the journalist assured that this did not affect the release of the investigation.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure as much as a reaction to my questions and a way to show that not just we, the journalists, can ask them. It was unexpected for me, and it was the first time I’ve had such a talk, but it did not affect the further work on the investigation. Although, of course, such a response to journalists’ questions is not normal, in my opinion,” she concluded.

Earlier, in February 2026, Chetverta Vlada reported pressure on their journalist Myroslava Prymak by Rivne-based lawyer Oleksandr Lutsiuk, who was featured in her investigation. He asked her personal questions during a phone call and made unfounded allegations about her family.