Son of ex-SSU chief builds mansion near Kyiv, bought land at three times lower price - media

Artur Lazarenko, the son of former SBU head Ivan Bakanov, is completing the construction of an estate near Kyiv on land he bought three times cheaper than its previous value, UNN reports, citing a Schemes investigation.

Details

In 2021, Artur Lazarenko, the son of former SBU chief Ivan Bakanov, bought almost 10 acres of land with an unfinished estate in the elite part of the village of Khodosivka in Kyiv region for 455 thousand hryvnias (approximately $17 thousand). 

The previous owner bought this plot three times more expensive. As of the fall of 2024, the construction of a two-story house of about 300 square meters is almost complete, according to journalists of the Schemes project. According to the sale and purchase agreement, Lazarenko purchased the land next to the Nova Khodosivka cottage community at a price of 45.9 thousand hryvnias per hundred square meters.

The document states that "at the time of the certification of this agreement, there are no buildings, structures or facilities on the alienated land plot." 

According to satellite images, construction on the site was already underway in April 2021. In October, when Artur Lazarenko had already owned the plot for a month, it was clear that the walls and roof of the house had been built. 

According to Skhemy, the previous owner purchased the land in January 2021 for UAH 1.418 million (the equivalent of $50.2 thousand), and eight months later sold it to Lazarenko for three times less. Journalists tried to contact her, but she did not respond to calls and messages. 

Real estate experts  note that sale and purchase agreements sometimes specify lower prices to reduce taxes. Currently, finishing work is underway on the estate, and workers are visible.

Recall 

Last year, the former head of the SBU, Ivan Bakanov , received a lawyer's certificate from the Bar Council of Poltava Region.