In Kyiv, during a performance of "Dangerous Liaisons" at the capital's "Young Theater," the actors unexpectedly interrupted the performance and addressed the audience with a scandalous statement. They publicly accused the theater's artistic director and the director of the play, Andriy Bilous, of sexual violence and systematic harassment.
As reported by Glavkom, the actors stated that four reports of sexual violence by Bilous have already been filed with the police, with two of the victims being minors at the time of the incidents.
"We would like to bring to your attention that the artistic director of this theater is accused of more than 10 years of harassment of his female students, actresses, and employees. Despite the open criminal proceedings, he still holds the position," the actress's statement, read from the stage, said.
According to the actors, all the police reports were only registered through the court, as the Shevchenko Police Department initially refused to accept them. In their opinion, the investigation is actually not progressing.
Actors also reported that at least 80% of women under the age of 40 working in theater have experienced some form of sexual harassment from a manager.
After the artists' statement, leaflets describing the situation were distributed to the audience. They called on the public to support them, spread information, and prevent the case from being silenced.
Recall that Bilous is not only the director of the theater, but also a teacher at the Ivan Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television. Earlier, actress Viktoria Romashko published correspondence and testimonies that may indicate harassment. Currently, a criminal investigation is underway under Article 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (sexual violence).
The Kyiv City State Administration stated that they support the use of polygraphs for all parties to the conflict and emphasized zero tolerance for harassment in cultural institutions. Despite this, on April 24, 2025, the Ministry of Education awarded Andriy Bilous the academic title of associate professor.
