International tours of a fictitious band for traveling abroad: former Minister of Culture notified of suspicion Photo 20.06.2026 10:55 Ukrinform The former acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy has been notified of suspicion of facilitating the illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine.
As Ukrinform reports, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced this on Telegram.
According to him, “the scheme involved leaving for charity concerts abroad. On paper, these men were members of a musical group. In reality – they had no connection to music whatsoever.”
This is why border guards initially refused them passage across the state border. However, after this, the head of the ministry again sent a letter to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine requesting assistance in the departure of these same individuals, this time as members of a musical group. This very letter became the documentary basis for crossing the border, the Prosecutor General noted.
As a result, eight men of conscription age left Ukraine and have not yet returned.
Kravchenko emphasized that “during wartime, any decision by an official regarding the departure of conscripts abroad is not a formality. It is a matter of state security, trust in institutions, and fairness towards those who fulfill their duty to the country.”
Pre-trial investigation under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is being carried out by the National Police. The investigation is ongoing. Additional episodes and other individuals who may be involved in the scheme are being identified.
As stated by the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine, law enforcement officers from the capital’s Strategic Investigations Department and investigators from the Main Investigative Department of the National Police, under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General’s Office, blocked the criminal scheme in April of this year. At that time, an entrepreneur was notified of suspicion.
According to the investigation, lists of individuals – members of musical groups – were submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications (formerly – the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy). It was also indicated that these ensembles intended to support Ukraine with their charity performances abroad.
During further actions, police established the involvement of other scheme participants – the former acting minister of culture of Ukraine and four other citizens. The latter sought clients, discussed the terms of the “tours,” and the former official endorsed the facilitation letters from the department with his signature.
For settlements, the members of the criminal group registered a number of crypto wallets and opened accounts in financial institutions.
On June 19, based on the obtained evidence, police investigators notified five members of the group, including the former top official, of suspicion. Their actions are qualified under Part 3 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 332 (illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine, committed as part of an organized group) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
As Ukrinform reported, the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have blocked five new schemes for evading mobilization and detained ten organizers of these schemes in various regions of Ukraine.
First photo: Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine
Mobilization Suspicion Prosecution Border Minister
Джерело: www.ukrinform.ua