The head of the bihus.info publishing house Denys Bigus said that his employees were monitored for months after a video appeared on the Internet in which some members of the publication allegedly use drugs during a closed New Year’s party, writes The Kyiv Independent.

“We see and understand that the wiretapping and monitoring lasted for a very long time – at least several months,” said Maksym Opanasenko, the editor of the investigative publication.

The story came just a day after Yuriy Nikolov, a well-known journalist known for his investigations into corruption scandals in defense procurement, said unknown men had come to his home with threats.

What started the scandal surrounding the Ukrainian publication?

A video appeared on the website of Narodna Pravda, which became the cause of the scandal, in the center of which is bihus.info.

The video includes footage from a well-placed hidden camera in a building in Kyiv where the party was held, as well as street video and wiretaps that appear to document drug purchases.

It is not known who followed the Ukrainian journalists

The head of the Ukrainian edition, Denis Bigus, spoke about the incident on YouTube, noting that it is not about journalists, as stated in the description under the Narodnaya Pravda video, but about operators.

The employees captured on video have been fired, he said. He also stated that everyone who works with bihus.Info will have to undergo drug tests.

“Of course, the wiretapping and surveillance was illegal, and the goals of those filming it are clear. But this is not an excuse for what we saw on the video, namely the use of prohibited substances by several of our colleagues,” said the head of bihus.info.

“We have no evidence as to whether a person from the Office of the President or someone else was behind it.”

bihus.Info is known for its investigations into government officials and law enforcement agencies. Opanasenko added that he does not rule out that this is an attempt to put pressure on the media.

“Currently, we are finding out who is behind this attack, and we are considering the possibility of contacting law enforcement agencies,” added the editor of the Ukrainian publication.