Law enforcement officers conduct searches at KNUKiM and private Kyiv University of Culture

Law enforcement agencies are conducting searches at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (KNUKiM) and the private Kyiv University of Culture.

"At this time, as part of criminal proceedings, searches are being conducted at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts and the private higher educational institution ‘Kyiv University of Culture,’ specifically on the premises of the institutions, office buildings adjacent to the educational facilities, and at the residences of university officials," the Prosecutor General’s Office said to Interfax-Ukraine.

As previously reported, on March 27, law enforcement agencies said that officials of the Kyiv University of Culture, in collusion with Ministry of Education officials, organized a scheme for the illegal misappropriation of budget funds allocated under a state program for training personnel in higher education institutions. Specifically, during 2022-2023, approximately UAH 760 million from the state budget was directed to this educational institution under the program "Training of personnel by higher education institutions and ensuring the activity of their practice bases." Interfax-Ukraine sources in law enforcement agencies said that, among others, searches were conducted at the home of the former rector of the Kyiv University of Culture, Mykhailo Poplavsky.

Later, Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi said that the officials involved in the embezzlement case at the University of Culture were not part of his team and no longer work at the Ministry of Education. He said that in 2024, the ministry uncovered one of the schemes that could lead to the misappropriation of state funds intended for higher education funding, and all materials were handed over to law enforcement.