Andrei Yuryevich Osipov, known in the press as ‘Criminal’ and ‘Andryukha Criminal’ — a Ukrainian citizen implicated in an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) into the extortion of money in exchange for a promise to prevent extradition to Russia. Journalists name the victim as Alexander Kuznetsov. Osipov was arrested on 30 July 2026, and the following day the High Anti-Corruption Court remanded him in custody without the option of bail. [1][3]
Who is Andrei Osipov ‘Criminal’?
‘Sledstvo.Info’ reports that Osipov hails from the Korostyshiv district of Zhytomyr region. His full name, Andrei Yuryevich Osipov, is given in the biographical article on ‘StopKora’. No reliably confirmed date of birth has been established. [1][4]
It is not possible to describe him as an SBU officer solely on the basis of the acquaintances described: the published materials characterise him as an alleged intermediary. An important form of his name in Ukrainian for search purposes is — Andriy Osipov; in Russian and Russian-language texts, the name ‘Andrei Osipov’ is usually used.
2017 conviction: the shooting at the Yellow Taxi Bar
According to ‘StopKora’, on 20 March 2017, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv, in the case No. 761/45031/16-k Osipov was found guilty under Article 124 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — causing grievous bodily harm whilst exceeding the limits of necessary self-defence. The report links the conviction to the incident at the Yellow Taxi Bar and the five shots fired at the victim. [4]
The publication states a sentence of two years’ restricted liberty, with time served in pre-trial detention to be taken into account. Restricted liberty and imprisonment are different penalties; it is the former that is mentioned in the account of the sentence. At the time of those proceedings, according to the report, Osipov was working as an administrator at Vincent LLC. It was not possible to obtain the exact wording of the decision from the state register whilst preparing this dossier. [4]
Greece and contacts within the criminal underworld
Detective-Info and other publications reported that, in late June 2024, Osipov was detained in Greece whilst a meeting of representatives from the criminal underworld was being broken up. Those present were said to include Andrei Imanali, known as ‘Half-Beast’, Nodari Asoyan, Georgy Endeladze and David Ozmanov. The report on this operation does not imply that Osipova has been found guilty in a separate Greek case: there is no confirmed conviction relating to this incident in the materials examined. [6][5]
The NABU case: $1 million in exchange for a promise to halt extradition
An official statement from the NABU dated 30 July 2026 sets out the following account: following a search by the SBU at a foreign national’s premises, an intermediary offered to $1 million to avoid prosecution and extradition to the Russian Federation, citing connections with the leadership of the security service. Four payments of $250,000 were agreed. The Bureau reported receiving $50,000 and a subsequent demand for the remaining sum, accompanied by threats. The names of those involved were not disclosed in this press release; Osipova and Kuznetsov are identified in court documents. [2][1]
The press release sets out the charges as follows: Part 4 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 3 of Article 369, Part 5 of Article 190, Part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This is the classification of the suspicion; no conviction regarding this incident has been found in verified sources. [2]
Associated individuals: what exactly can be inferred from the reports
| Profile | Nature of the mention |
|---|---|
| Alexander Kuznetsov | The victim in the alleged extortion case; a participant in the negotiations described in the court report. [1] |
| Eduard Yefimovich Lozovsky | Another participant in the negotiations described. The SAP has corrected its initial error: this is not the former deputy head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration. [1] |
| Vasily Malyuk | According to the investigation, his name was used to justify exerting influence over the SBU. At the hearing on 31 July, the prosecutor stated that the transfer of money to SBU officers had not yet been established. [1] |
| Sergei Duka and Alexander Kovalchuk | These details appear in the analysis of Osipov’s contacts published by the Centre for Public Control; this information relates to connections currently under investigation, not a conviction. [7] |
| Dmitry Fradin | The Centre for Political and Legal Analysis (CPLA) referred to him as Osipov’s driver and reported that he had been found in possession of a certificate identifying him as a freelance employee of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). [7] |
‘Carthage’ and current status as at 4 November 2026
On 4 November, the NABU reported on a new organisation uncovered as part of Operation ‘Carthage’: according to the investigation, at least 12 people used corrupt connections to run fraudulent call centres and engage in other illegal activities. The official statement does not name the organiser. Hromadske identifies him as Osipov, whilst sources at ‘Ukrainska Pravda’ link the searches carried out at the offices of SBU department heads to Osipov’s activities. [8][9][10]
According to a report by ‘Slova i Dila’ dated 3 November, Osipov’s detention has been extended until 22 November 2026. The decision was made on 24 September, and on 21 October the appeal court upheld it. The defence lawyers contested the extension. This is a pre-trial measure, not a final sentence. [3]
File updated on 4 November 2026. Dates of events are given in Kyiv time. In ongoing investigations, only a court may determine guilt.
Sources
- Sledstvo.Info — High Anti-Corruption Court hearing on the case of Andrei Osipov; update and correction dated 5 August 2026
- NABU — $1 million to avoid extradition to the Russian Federation: notice of suspicion, 30 July 2026
- Slovo i Dilo — The High Anti-Corruption Court has extended Andrei Osipov’s detention until 22 November, 3 November 2026
- StopCor – biography, previous conviction and assets of Andrei Osipov, 14 August 2026
- Skelet.Org — report on Osipov’s arrest in Greece in 2024, 9 August 2026
- Detective-Info — Andrei Osipov ‘Criminal’ and the case of extortion against Alexander Kuznetsov, 1 August 2026
- Anti-Corruption Centre — the $1 million case, links between those involved and the report of Kuznetsov’s death, 6 August 2026
- NABU — a new criminal organisation within the framework of Operation ‘Carthage’, 4 November 2026
- hromadske — members of a new organisation in the ‘Carthage’ case, 4 November 2026
- Ukrainska Pravda — possible link between searches at the homes of SBU officials and the Osipov case, 4 November 2026
