Crackdown on False Musicians: Authorities Uncover Scheme Allowing 28 Men to Leave Ukraine

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have revealed a significant scheme that allowed men of conscription age to leave the country by pretending to be part of musical groups. Investigators have determined that 28 individuals took advantage of this scheme, but they have not returned to Ukraine.

General Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko announced that prosecutors from the Office of the General Prosecutor have already filed charges against a Ukrainian woman who organized this illegal activity. He stated that the woman operated as a private entrepreneur, allegedly engaged in cultural activities and concert organization.

According to information gathered during the investigation, the woman sought out men who lacked legal grounds to leave Ukraine and offered to arrange documents for them as participants in musical bands for a fee that ranged from $7,500. She submitted lists of individuals to the Ministry of Culture, who supposedly were to leave for charity concerts abroad, which allowed her to obtain exit permits.

Once these lists were received, the Ministry of Culture sent letters to border guards, enabling these individuals to legally leave the territory of Ukraine. It has been revealed that, according to the investigation, 28 men managed to leave the country but did not return, while another 16 individuals planned to exploit this scheme but did not succeed.

The woman who organized this scheme has been charged in absentia with the illegal transportation of people across the state border. Currently, she is outside Ukraine, complicating the process of her arrest and prosecution.

Law enforcement officials also conducted searches at the homes of former employees of the Ministry of Culture, including a former acting minister, as well as other individuals who may be involved in this case. Investigators are currently examining whether ministry officials were complicit in this criminal scheme.

In February 2023, journalists from Bihus.Info reported that at least five men could have left Ukraine with artist Petro Chornyi over the past year. This raised additional questions regarding potential connections between artists and illegal activities.

Petro Chornyi, for his part, accused journalists of bias and assured that everyone who travels with him always returns to Ukraine. This situation has sparked widespread public resonance and raised concerns about the control of conscription-age men leaving the country amid ongoing war conditions.