Ukraine’s top internal security agency has arrested a senior anti-corruption official for allegedly helping his father export hemp seed to Russia in violation of wartime economic bans.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ruslan Mahamedrasulov, one of the heads of the detective division at the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), used his official position to suppress inquiries into his father’s activities and failed to declare his father’s ties to business operations in the Russian Federation.
The SBU said the father, a hemp producer based in Kirovohrad Oblast in central Ukraine, exported more than 20 tons of hemp seed to Russia during the ongoing war—a direct violation of national laws prohibiting business activity an the enemy state.
Aiding the enemy
Although Ukraine has recently introduced a digital registration system intended to improve transparency and reduce corruption in the hemp sector, the system is still being rolled out and does not yet cover the entire industry. Authorities say the producer—licensed and operating openly—managed to illegally export 20 tons of hemp seed to Russia.
While hemp seed is not a controlled substance, its movement into Russia violates Ukrainian wartime restrictions and may be prosecuted as illegal cooperation with an enemy power. Investigators have not yet announced whether additional individuals or companies may face charges.
That such activity occurred under the alleged protection of a senior anti-corruption official underscores the challenges of enforcement during a transitional period, and suggests that actors with influence can still circumvent formal regulatory systems.
‘Hemp Seed’
Photos released by Ukrainian authorities show dozens of sealed commercial bags labeled “Hemp Seed” in English, supporting investigators’ assertion that the smuggled material was likely food-grade or planting seed—not fiber or cannabinoid products. The route and timing of the exports have not been publicly disclosed.
The father, whose name has not been released, is also under investigation. Both he and Mahamedrasulov deny wrongdoing. A joint operation by the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office led to the arrest on July 18.
The incident comes as Ukraine attempts to modernize oversight of its hemp industry, a sector that has been expanding even under wartime conditions.
Sector steady amid war
Despite the Russian invasion and persistent insecurity across Ukraine’s eastern regions, hemp cultivation has expanded modestly over the past three seasons, with most industry experts suggesting 3,000–4,500 hectares are under the crop.
Ukraine’s hemp sector is concentrated primarily in the north and west, with cultivation expanding in areas like Zhytomyr Oblast, home to a major processing plant developed by Ma’Rijani Hemp Company.
The newly launched digital registry system now allows farmers to declare crops, input test results, and manage operations through a centralized platform—part of an ongoing reform effort to remove red tape and reduce corruption risks.