After the Russian invasion, former SBU head Bakanov arranged a position for his son in the security service, granting him protection from mobilization

Former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ivan Bakanov, employed his son, Artur, in the agency immediately after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

This information reported by Ukrainska Pravda.

This position exempts the 27-year-old from military conscription and grants him privileges as an operative, such as access to special license plates.

At the time of his employment in the SBU, Artur, then 25, used his mother’s last name, Lazarenko, and received the rank of lieutenant, matching his father’s. He serves in the sixth division of the counterintelligence department, overseeing the operations of military factories and defense enterprises. Journalists tracked Artur’s activities and found he spent most of his workday in cafes and gyms, spending only about two hours in the SBU office on the day he was observed.

Artur declined to comment on the matter, claiming it was his “private life” and expressing no interest in speaking to the press. Bakanov Sr. also refrained from confirming or denying the information, citing confidentiality regarding SBU personnel identities.

However, the SBU officially confirmed to the media outlet that Artur Lazarenko was hired on March 21, 2022, while his father was in charge. Former MP Ihor Mosiychuk noted that hundreds of children of former and possibly current officials, including senior SBU staff, are employed within the SBU, questioning why journalists focused solely on Bakanov’s son.

It’s worth mentioning that the Ukrainian parliament dismissed Ivan Bakanov from his position as head of the SBU in the summer of 2022.