Kyiv residents reported suspicions in absentia after organizing a scheme to illegally cross the border. Investigators found that the woman organized fictitious tours for men subject to military service and submitted the lists to the Ministry of Culture.
This was reported on April 7 by the National Police and the Prosecutor General's Office.
As the National Police reported, the Kyiv resident opened a sole proprietorship to implement the scheme. an individual entrepreneur and her activities were allegedly in the field of culture. She offered men who were conscripted to the military to leave the border as part of a fictional musical group. The cost of a place in the “group” was from 7,500 to 13,000 dollars.
According to the investigation, the suspect submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine a list of people whom she called members of musical groups. She also noted that these ensembles intended to support Ukraine with their charity performances abroad.
Based on these appeals, the Ministry of Culture prepared and sent letters of assistance to the State Border Service for crossing the border, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported on Telegram.
“It was these letters that became the basis for departure. As a result, 28 people left Ukraine according to this scheme. They have not returned to this day. Another 16 people planned to leave in a similar way, but did not have time to implement it,” Kravchenko wrote.
The figurehead is currently abroad, so she was charged in absentia, the Prosecutor General added. She is charged under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on illegal smuggling of persons across the state border. The sanction of the article provides for up to seven years of imprisonment.
“Today (April 7), searches were conducted at the homes of former employees of the Ministry, including the former Acting Minister of Culture of Ukraine, who approved the relevant letters, as well as other persons involved. We are checking the involvement of Ministry officials in this scheme,” Kravchenko said.
The Ministry of Culture has not yet commented on the case. Suspilne is trying to get a comment.