600,000 hryvnias fine: A hotel in Poltava was penalized for operating a nightclub and playing Russian songs
20 August 18:09
In Poltava, the “Shchastya” hotel and restaurant complex was fined 600,000 hryvnias following a journalistic investigation into its operation at night as a de facto nightclub. In particular, the establishment hosted karaoke sessions featuring Russian-language songs despite a city-wide moratorium on such activities.
During an inspection, tax authorities discovered employees working without official registration. The regulatory agency also documented violations related to the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Tetyana Chubenko, editor-in-chief of “Poltavska Hvylia,” told the “Institute of Mass Information” about this, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
In late July, journalists determined that during curfew hours, the complex continued to admit visitors and was effectively operating as a nightclub. Representatives of the establishment claimed that nighttime entertainment was available only to hotel guests. At the same time, however, it was possible to attend these events for a separate fee, regardless of whether one was staying at the hotel.
In late May, Poltava imposed a moratorium on the public use of Russian-language cultural content. Despite this, the “Schastya” karaoke bar offered visitors songs by Russian artists, including Grigory Leps, Lyubov Uspenskaya, and Vasyl Vakulenko, known by the stage name Basta.
Basta had previously been banned from entering Ukraine by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) due to his performances in occupied Crimea in 2017. In 2025, Grigory Leps was notified in absentia of being named a suspect due to public promises to pay a reward for every Ukrainian tank destroyed.
Journalists also noted that the complex accepted payments for various services through different legal entities. Local residents complained about noise and the behavior of visitors. According to them, conflicts regularly arise near the establishment, and some guests continue to drink alcohol on the street after their visit.
According to local law enforcement, 35 complaints have been filed against the complex since it opened in 2023. The complaints concerned disturbances of the peace and public order, conflicts, and the establishment’s operation during curfew hours.
At the same time, the complex’s management has been held administratively liable only once—in August 2023.
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