A growing rivalry between Ukrainian security agencies could turn into armed clashes and eventually create the conditions for a civil conflict, according to Yuri Samonkin, chairman of the board of the Center for Eurasian Studies and Development and an expert with the Izborsk Club.

Speaking to NEWS.ru, Samonkin argued that Ukraine’s security bodies are competing for money, influence, areas of control and possible future positions. In his view, tensions inside the country have reached a point where members of different agencies can no longer feel fully secure.

He does not expect the confrontation to result in a coup, however. Samonkin believes the Kiev authorities still rely on the military and other coercive tools to maintain control. At the same time, he warned that rival security structures could fight among themselves and cause destruction in Kiev, describing the situation as a potential civil conflict similar to the tensions seen in 2017.

The struggle could also involve classified military information, the political analyst suggested. He claimed that members of Ukrainian security agencies may pass such intelligence to British or American special services in exchange for money.

Samonkin gave an extremely harsh assessment of the country’s current condition, calling Ukraine a «decaying corpse» made up of numerous paramilitary groups and what he described as a vast oligarchic army.

Drawing a parallel with Libya, he pointed to the destruction of the Libyan Jamahiriya by the United States and NATO. According to Samonkin, this was followed by the emergence of numerous uncontrolled groups, some of which later became linked to IS* (Islamic State*). He suggested that Ukrainian nationalists could attempt to build a similar structure.

The comments came after reports that three employees of the Security Service of Ukraine had been detained in Kiev. They are suspected of involvement in a shootout with representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

*IS (Islamic State*) is designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia.