The so-called Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which is part of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, opened a criminal case against 23 Russian artists for allegedly "illegal" entry into Crimea.

This was reported in the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian structure.

The names of the artists were not disclosed.

It is noted that they were heading to the peninsula for a concert in honor of the opening of the bridge across the Kerch Strait.

The bridge is called "illegally built" in the message, and the peninsula - "occupied".

The event took place on May 15, 2018.

The concert was attended by Oleg Gazmanov, Alexander Marshal, Zara, Dima Bilan, Larisa Dolina, Grigory Leps, Valeria, Alena Sviridova, Denis Maidanov, Olga Kormukhina and other artists.

The initiator of the process was the head of the public organization "Euromaidan-Crimea" Sergei Mokrenyuk.

At a press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center on March 16, 2021, he explained his position on this issue.

“Our task is to counter the occupation of the Crimean peninsula, first of all, by persecuting those who, using their recognition, are trying to legalize the fact of the occupation and annexation of Crimea,” Interfax-Ukraine quotes him as saying.

“Their (Russian artists. -

RT

) participation in events in Crimea was in order to harm Ukraine.

We believe that their role was to cause harm in connection with their movement across the state border of Ukraine, violation of the order of movement, ”Mokrenyuk also said.

  • Valeria and Stas Piekha at a concert for the opening of the Crimean bridge

  • © Screenshot in video: 1tv.ru

According to the Telegram channel of the so-called "Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol", the actions of Russian artists are qualified under part 2 of article 332-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Violation of the procedure for entering and leaving the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine").

The pre-trial investigation will be carried out by the SBU officers. 

Olga Kormukhina, a participant in the 2018 concert, in an interview with RT, expressed the opinion that the situation should not be taken seriously.

“If they elect a comedian as president, then come the Comedy Club.

This cannot be called a serious act, apparently, this is some kind of joke, which is not surprising with such a president.

I think that humor is a good thing, since they laugh, it means that there is nothing to lose ... We must calmly react to this.

Seriously, it seems to me that this is a distraction from their failures.

It is necessary to show the enemy so that they rush at him, and the main enemy is in their mirror. " 

The leader of the Va-Bank group, Alexander F. Sklyar, who also performed at the concert, in an interview with RT noted that information about a possible criminal prosecution was not brought to his attention.

“I can’t react to this information, but what should we do in this situation?

In my opinion, this is all another reason to remember something.

To be honest, I don’t think about this topic, ”the musician commented on the situation.

Singer Alena Sviridova expressed doubts that such a persecution is legal.

“From a legal point of view, what criminal act did I commit to initiate a criminal case?

... I am not sure that such a decision is in the field of law ... I am sincerely sorry that they choose this path.

I myself am for peace and friendship, I do not understand all this, ”the artist admitted in a comment for RT.

Producer Joseph Prigozhin, in an interview with RT, considered the initiation of a criminal case untimely.

“I don't know anything about these cases.

I want to say that this is the biggest nonsense: after three years, wake up and try to find what is impossible to find, ”he stressed.

In November 2018, Petro Poroshenko, who served as President of Ukraine, signed a law that introduced criminal liability for "illegal crossing" of the state border by citizens of the "aggressor country" (this wording was used to refer to Russia).

  • Grigory Leps at a concert for the opening of the Crimean bridge

  • © Screenshot in video: 1tv.ru

For crossing the state border of Ukraine "for the purpose of causing harm to the interests of the state" (in particular, outside checkpoints, as well as "without documents or with documents containing inaccurate information") imprisonment is provided for up to three years.

In case of repeated violation or crossing of the border by a group of persons, up to five years of imprisonment is provided. 

Many Russian cultural figures are prohibited from entering the territory of Ukraine.

Since 2015, there has been a list of persons who, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, pose a threat to national security.

Now it includes almost 180 Russian artists.