Bakanov and Naumov built system of "informal payments" from businesses and trade in NSDC sanctions in SSU, - businessman Vaganyan
During Ivan Bakanov's tenure as head of the SSU, the service was transformed into an instrument of systematic racketeering. Bakanov, together with then-SBU General Andriy Naumov, who is suspected of passing confidential information to Russia, built a system of informal payments from business and trade sanctions imposed by the National Security and Defence Council within the SSU.
This was revealed by businessman Serhiy Vaganyan in an interview with Boryslav Bereza, a member of the VIII convocation of the Verkhovna Rada, according to Censor.NET.
At the beginning of the conversation, Vaganyan talked about his business. He was involved in the supply of medical goods and grain cultivation.
The entrepreneur also said that he was acquainted with the members of "Kvartal 95" even before Volodymyr Zelenskyy became president.
"I have known them for many years. About 10 years. They catered for my family and corporate celebrations. They organised artists and shows. That's how we met. We were close enough to go on holiday together. We helped each other build houses. I provided financial and technical assistance in building a house for Mika Fatalov (a showman from the Kvartal 95 studio, ed.), " the businessman said.
Later, according to Vaganyan, he began to communicate more closely with Bakanov and Naumov.
"I started communicating more with Andriy Naumov and Ivan Bakanov. I knew Naumov from his time working at the Prosecutor General's Office... I was not part of Zelensky's team, I was part of Bakanov and Naumov's team. I was part of the SBU team," said the businessman.
Payments from the business
Berez asked what Vaganyan's role was in the Bakanov-Naumov team.
"Something happened that should not have happened. I had a very close and friendly relationship with these people and many representatives of the SBU leadership, both at the central office and in the regional departments, and there was "financial cooperation" in the sense that I paid them a certain percentage of my profits from the export of grain that I sold abroad. A certain "thank you," said the businessman.
At first, according to the entrepreneur, these were gifts — furniture, armoured cars, jewellery for Naumov and Bakanov.
"Then this story grew into a certain percentage, which reached 30-50% of the profit," Vaganyan said.
In exchange, according to the businessman, they promised unhindered work and no searches by regulatory authorities.
"They voluntarily-compulsorily milked me. I think that most entrepreneurs also do this, but not in such a direct way as I did. My relationship with them allowed me to do so directly. I had access to the Security Service of Ukraine 24/7. I had cards and I could enter the territory unhindered with security cars, I had passes," Vaganyan said.
Photos provided by Vaganyan were also shown on air.
In particular, money that, according to Vaganyan, was counted by Bakanov;
funds on Naumov's desk;
money in Bakanov's armoured car.
Vaganyan claims that he is not the only businessman who, in his words, "had almost everything taken away."
"I am not the only businessman like this. I know many other people, but for some reason they remain silent. Some who tried to defend themselves were eliminated," says the entrepreneur.
When asked why Vaganyan began to record everything on photo and video, the businessman replied:
"I saw how Naumov and Bakanov behaved with complete impunity. My instinct for self-preservation kicked in. Because I understood that after certain events, after what they did to people they had known for a long time, they were dangerous to me. I realised that I needed to protect myself. I'm talking about physical and legal safety... They tried to get rid of me twice, there was an attempt on my life," said the businessman, adding that the investigation didn't go anywhere.
Vaganyan clarified that this happened after a conflict when they tried to "cheat" him.
Trade in sanctions
The businessman also spoke about the use of NSDC sanctions to put pressure on businesses. According to him, the schemes involved "trading in sanctions" — not only imposing them, but also lifting or not imposing them.
According to the businessman, a separate project by Naumov and Bakanov concerned the import of electronics and consumer goods: players were brought in through Oleksandr Aksta without paying taxes.
Hundreds of millions of hryvnias were not going to the budget every month and, according to Vaganyan, ended up in the pockets of Akst, Naumov and Bakanov.
When part of the business refused to "enter" the scheme, Akst, according to Vaganyan, suggested that Naumov use the NSDC sanctions.
"Aksta's people prepared dossiers on competitors, handed over the documents to Naumov, 'finished them off at the Security Service of Ukraine' and sent them to the National Security and Defence Council," Vaganyan said.
When asked if Bakanov understood what was happening, the entrepreneur replied:
"Bakanov was only interested in money: they told him the final result, and he agreed."
Vaganyan added that he is ready to cooperate with NABU and SAP: to provide information and participate in investigative activities.
The businessman is currently outside Ukraine.
