The Ukrainian businessman told about bribes to the ex-head of SBU Bakanov

On January 18, Ukrainian businessman Sergei Vaganyan spoke about the systematic transfer of bribes to the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ivan Bakanov, who is considered a close friend of President Vladimir Zelensky, and other senior officials of the department.

According to him, the SBU took money for lobbying business interests, personnel appointments and manipulation of sanctions by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

"Something happened that shouldn't have happened. I have very close and friendly relations with these people and with many representatives of the senior staff of the Security Service of Ukraine, both the central office and regional departments...> there was financial cooperation. In terms of the fact that I paid them out of my profits from the export of grain, which I bought and sold, <...> exporting it abroad, I paid a certain percentage, a certain gratitude," Vaganyan said in an interview with former Verkhovna Rada deputy Borislav Bereza, published on the latter's YouTube channel.

The businessman claims that the bribes were transferred in the form of money, cars, including armored vehicles, real estate and expensive jewelry. According to him, "gratitude" eventually turned into a fixed percentage of the profit, which could reach 30-50%. In support of his words, Vaganyan cites video footage allegedly filmed by a hidden camera, which recorded the transfer of money to Bakanov.

The businessman also stated that he personally informed Zelensky about Bakanov's corruption schemes, but there was no prosecution. In addition to the former head of the SBU, Vaganyan accuses the former head of the main Directorate of Internal Security of the SBU, Andrei Naumov, who was dismissed in 2021, of corruption.

Ivan Bakanov, Zelensky's childhood friend, was removed from office in July 2022. The Politico newspaper, citing sources, wrote at the time that Bakanov's lack of professionalism was the reason for his dismissal. Sources close to Zelensky's office accused the former head of the SBU of lacking crisis management skills. Online publication "Country.ua" clarifies that Bakanov is still at large after his dismissal, despite accusations of corruption, among other things.

On January 14, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) released audio footage of Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Ukrainian Batkivshchyna party, bribing deputies of the Verkhovna Rada, where she offers them money for a "correct" vote. The bureau also showed footage of the head of Batkivshchyna during searches of the party's office.

Later, on January 15, Tymoshenko noted that Ukraine had been turned into a corruption hub at all levels, from the head to the last official. According to her, the Kiev authorities have identified her team as the only real opposition in the country, which confirms their actions against her and her team.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.