Ukrainian businessman Vaganyan described how he bribed the former head of the SBU, Ivan Bakanov

Ukrainian businessman Serhii Vaganyan gave bribes to the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ivan Bakanov.

The entrepreneur said this in an interview with former MP Boryslav Bereza on his YouTube channel.

According to the businessman, as a bribe he handed over to Bakanov and other former SBU leaders money, real estate properties, and expensive cars. The entrepreneur claims that in return the head of the agency promised “assistance to business” and personnel appointments.

Vaganyan added that at one point he complained about the bribes to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he knew personally. In turn, Zelensky assured the entrepreneur that Bakanov would be held accountable, but no real steps were taken to do so, the businessman noted.

Later, former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Ivan Bakanov called the corruption accusations against him an attempt to set up the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

The ex-head of the SBU believes that the accusations of receiving bribes made by Ukrainian businessman Serhii Vaganyan are an attempt by supporters of former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to pressure Zelensky.

“The plan is clear: to continue discrediting the supreme commander-in-chief [Zelensky] at any cost, to continue destabilizing the single-party majority,” Bakanov explained.

According to him, this is what will force Zelensky to give Ukrainian territories to Russia.