Scandal at the University of Culture: a lecturer is fired after being accused of harassment
4 February 02:52
The Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts (KNUKiM) has terminated the employment of lecturer and director Oleksandr Balaban after numerous accusations of harassment, including sexual harassment and unethical statements. The official announcement of Balaban’s dismissal was posted on the website of the Institute of Film and Television of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, Komersant ukrainskyi reports
Representatives of the faculty emphasized that they could not stay away from the situation, which caused a wide public outcry, and assured that they were conducting an internal investigation. It is known that Balaban stopped working at the institution on February 3.

In addition, the university administration has initiated increased control over the ethical standards of teachers. It is also planned to conduct trainings and webinars for students and teachers to avoid similar incidents in the future.

What Oleksandr Balaban is accused of
The first to speak out publicly were Balaban’s former students. Actress Yelyzaveta Yakovyshyna stated that the teacher used offensive language, made degrading remarks, and discussed intimate topics with female students.
According to her, he also offered girls “anti-cellulite massage” and explained what kind of men they needed as sexual partners.

In her comments, Yelyzaveta was supported by other victims of Oleksandr Balaban’s workshop, who said that he undressed students on stage, publicly humiliated, accused and intimidated them.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in brief
Another alumna, Yelyzaveta Pavlenko, recalls that Balaban pulled off her shirt without warning during class. According to her, he also forced the students to wear bras, explaining that they were “developing their acting skills.”
“From the very first days in Oleksandr Ilyich Balaban’s workshop, we were warned that cruel games were ahead. At first, everyone took it as a joke, but later it turned out to be true. There were different cases. For example, during a rehearsal, when I was standing on stage, the director came up, turned me around, and without any warning took off my shirt. At that moment, I felt completely defenseless and humiliated. I was only wearing a rehearsal uniform, a black T-shirt, because we were ordered to wear bras and tops under the pretext that it would supposedly help us to reveal ourselves as actors,” Yelyzaveta Pavlenko shared her experience.

However, some students also spoke out in defense of Oleksandr Balaban.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in brief
Context of the situation
This scandal erupted against the backdrop of a similar story involving Andriy Bilous, a lecturer at the Ivan Karpenko-Kary National University of Theater, Cinema and Television in Kyiv. He is also accused of sexual harassment and obscene statements against female students.
Who is Oleksandr Balaban?
Oleksandr Ilyich Balaban is a Ukrainian film director who has directed about 70 theatrical performances and documentaries. He has worked at the Kharkiv Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater named after Taras Shevchenko, the Odesa Academic Theater of Musical Comedy, and the Kyiv Academic Theater of Drama and Comedy.
His productions include Lesya Ukrainka’s On the Field of Blood and Oleksandr Oles’s The Eagles Flew Out. He is also the author of the book “It’s Cold Backstage”.
At the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, Balaban taught such disciplines as “Actor’s Skill,” “Stage Speech,” “Actor’s Work in Film and TV Musicals,” and others. At the time of his retirement, he was 70 years old.