Officers of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), together with the SBU, are investigating the legality of MP Yuriy Aristov (Servant of the People faction) going on vacation during Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

"On July 25, 2023, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, based on the materials of the State Bureau of Investigations and information disseminated in the media, initiated criminal proceedings regarding the introduction of false information into documents for traveling abroad by the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence," the SBI said in the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

According to the bureau, as part of the investigation, the SBI officers are investigating how the MP of Ukraine could be on vacation in Maldives, despite the ban on officials from traveling abroad.

"In particular, the possible introduction of knowingly false information into official documents about his departure, namely, the date, purpose and countries of the trip, will be studied," the sBI said.

The SBI also said: "It was established that in the middle of July 2023 the MP was in one of the hotels on the private island of Ithaafushi, Maldives."

The investigation has already confirmed that in the period from June 5 to July 22, 2023, he was outside Ukraine. The MP left for Poland for three days on a business trip in order to deepen bilateral cooperation with the government of the Republic of Lithuania.

"On July 10, 2023, while abroad, the deputy remotely opened a sick leave in one of the private health institutions in Kyiv until July 19, 2023 inclusive. However, false information was probably entered into the electronic health care system, since the medical examination was not actually carried out," the SBI said in the statement.

According to the statement, it was established that the MP, along with his family – a woman and children – until July 22 was on the territory of the Republic of Maldives, in the Waldorf Astoria Maldives hotel complex.

"Law enforcement officers conducted urgent searches in the house of the deputy. Among other things, passports for traveling abroad with appropriate marks and other documents were seized," the bureau said.

Criminal proceedings are being investigated on the fact of forgery (Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The sanction of the article provides for restriction of freedom up to three years.

Procedural guidance is exercised by the PGO.

According to the SBU statement on the Telegram channel: "The security service checks the contacts of the deputy during his stay abroad. Information about the possible departure of other MPs and officials for foreign holidays during the war is also being checked.

The Ukrainian intelligence service said within the criminal proceedings initiated by the Prosecutor General under Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (official forgery), an investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.