New Scheme Exposed in Ukraine: 28 Men Left the Country as Musicians

A new scheme has been uncovered in Ukraine, revealing that 28 men left the country under the guise of being musicians. This was reported by Ukraine's Attorney General Ruslan Kravchenko on his Telegram channel. According to Kravchenko, the scheme was orchestrated by a woman who registered as a private entrepreneur and operated in the cultural sector.

The woman sought out men who had no legal grounds for leaving the country and offered them a way to be registered as participants in musical groups for a monetary reward starting from $7,500. She submitted lists of these individuals to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, claiming that they were supposedly participating in charity concerts abroad.

Based on these lists, the ministry prepared and sent letters of support to the State Border Guard Service, which became the basis for the men’s departure from the country. As a result, 28 individuals left Ukraine under this scheme and have not returned to date. Additionally, 16 others were planning to leave in a similar manner but did not manage to execute their plans.

The organizer of this scheme has already been notified of suspicion in absentia under part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and is currently outside the country. As part of the investigation, searches were conducted at the homes of former employees of the Ministry of Culture, including a former acting Minister of Culture of Ukraine, who had approved the relevant letters, as well as other individuals involved in the case.

The Office of the Attorney General is investigating the possible involvement of ministry officials in this criminal scheme. Attorney General Ruslan Kravchenko emphasized that using state mechanisms to bypass the law is a serious offense: “When state mechanisms are used as a 'service' to circumvent the law – it is no longer about culture. It is about accountability. And there will be accountability,” he stated.

This situation serves as further evidence of how criminal groups are attempting to exploit the challenging conditions in Ukraine amid the ongoing war. As reported by Ukrinform, earlier the National Police of Ukraine detained members of a criminal group led by a criminal authority, who were allegedly selling reservations and exit permits for leaving the country. This case underscores the importance of combating such schemes that undermine legality and order in the country.

In the context of war and mobilization, the issue of leaving the country has become extremely relevant, and such schemes can have serious implications for national security. Society must be aware of similar cases to prevent further abuses and ensure justice in this complex situation.