The Ministry of Culture granted the band Druga Rika an exemption from mobilization
The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine granted “Druga Rika” LLC—which is affiliated with the Ukrainian rock band of the same name—the status of a business critical to the functioning of the economy and to ensuring the livelihoods of the population during this extraordinary period.
The decision was made following a request submitted by “Druga Rika” LLC on July 24, 2026, and a meeting of the Ministry of Culture’s special commission held on August 31.
“To designate ‘Druga Rika’ LLC as critically important for the functioning of the economy and ensuring the vital needs of the population during a special period,” the order states.
According to information from YouControl, the ultimate beneficial owner of “Druga Rika” LLC is Valeriy Kharchyshyn, the leader of the Ukrainian rock band “Druga Rika.”
The Ministry of Culture also outlined the criteria that the company meets. Specifically, the company has no tax arrears owed to the state or local budgets, nor any arrears in the payment of the unified social contribution.
Another condition relates to wage levels. The average wage of insured employees for the last calendar month must be at least three times the minimum wage in Ukraine.
Once the status of a critically important enterprise has been granted, the Department of Arts and Creative Industries of the Ministry of Culture will monitor the activities of Druga Rika LLC.
In particular, the department will verify whether the company complies with the requirements set forth in the Procedure for Exempting Conscripts from Military Service During Mobilization and Wartime.
At the same time, the order does not provide a list of specific employees who may be granted exemption. The document also does not confirm the personal exemption of Valerii Kharchyshyn or other band members.
“Druga Rika” is a Ukrainian rock band founded in Zhytomyr in 1996. Its long-standing leader is Valeriy Kharchyshyn, who is also listed as the ultimate beneficiary of the company of the same name.
The relevant order No. 1093 was signed on September 9, 2026, by Acting Minister of Culture Ivan Verbytskyi.
It should be noted that the ministries headed by Mykhailo Fedorov collaborated for years with the “Eastern Europe” Foundation on at least eight donor programs with a total value of $330 million. After his dismissal, Fedorov took a job at this foundation and received an exemption from mobilization.
Over the past year, the number of exempted employees in the Ukrainian economy has increased by 300,000, and the list of enterprises recognized as critically important has expanded by 9,000 new entities.
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