Ukrainian authorities have charged Rostyslav Karandieiev, the former acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, with facilitating illegal border crossings. The announcement was made by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
Kravchenko stated that the scheme involved individuals purportedly traveling abroad for charity concerts. Officially, these men were listed as members of a musical group, although they had no actual connection to music. Initially, border guards denied them permission to cross the border.
According to the prosecutor, the situation changed when the ministry head sent a follow-up letter to the State Border Guard Service, requesting assistance for the same individuals to leave as members of the musical group. This letter served as the official basis for their border crossing. Consequently, eight men of conscription age left Ukraine and have not returned since.
The National Police are conducting a preliminary investigation under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which carries a penalty of five to seven years in prison. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities looking into additional incidents and identifying other potential accomplices.
In a statement to the media, Karandieiev confirmed that he had received the charges. He remarked, “I can confirm this. However, I will provide further comments after meeting with the investigators handling this case directly.”
“You know that people are leaving the country, right? They do not leave for no reason. This has been the case both now and in the past. During my tenure at the ministry, we facilitated departures with letters signed by the ministry head. One such departure was also authorized by a letter signed by me, and those individuals did not return,” he added.
Karandieiev indicated that he would clarify the details regarding the individuals involved after discussing the matter with the investigator.
The National Police noted that the charges against Karandieiev are part of a broader investigation into a scheme that was disrupted in April 2026, which had previously implicated a businesswoman.
Investigators found that the Ministry of Culture had received lists of individuals claiming to be members of musical groups intending to support Ukraine through charity performances abroad.
During the investigation, police identified Karandieiev and four other individuals as being involved in the scheme. The latter were responsible for recruiting clients and discussing the terms of the so-called “tours,” while the former minister authorized letters of support from the ministry.
To facilitate financial transactions, those involved in the scheme reportedly registered cryptocurrency wallets and opened accounts with financial institutions.
Rostyslav Karandieiev, former acting Minister of Culture in Ukraine, has been charged with aiding illegal border crossings under the guise of facilitating charity concerts. The investigation reveals a network that exploited official channels to allow conscription-age men to leave the country.