The announcement from 1914 regarding the cancellation of their tour has sparked intense discussions within the metal community. The Ukrainian band, known for their focus on World War I themes, stated that they are unable to carry out their scheduled tour due to a decision by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications to block exit permits for cultural, journalistic, and scientific events.

According to the band’s official statement, the reasoning behind the decision is based on gaps in the legislation, where individuals who had received exit permits did not return to Ukraine within the specified timeframe. As a result, the state decided to implement stricter measures, directly affecting 1914, who were forced to cancel their tour.

The 1914 band wrote the following in their announcement, which was accompanied by the following photo:

“With a heavy heart, we must announce that we cannot perform this tour due to the f*****g Ministry of Culture, which blocked all exit permits for cultural, journalistic, scientific, and other events. They replied that due to gaps in the national legislation, there have been numerous cases where individuals who received exit permits from the State Border Service for temporary exit abroad with a letter of support from the Ministry of Culture, did not return to Ukraine within the set time limits.

We, as a band, as 1914, would like to apologize to all our fans, to every venue and promoter who got screwed over with tickets, promotion, etc., to our booking agency Napalm Events, who worked hard to make this tour a reality, to the band KATLA, and to everyone who supports us.

We understand that canceling a tour is a disaster for our reputation, and as a band and as a project, we are more “dead” than “alive” in the eyes of promoters, fans, venues, and festivals. Forgive us for our Ministry of Culture.”

The decision by the Ministry of Culture has led to varied reactions among metal fans. On one hand, there are those who understand the Ukrainian state’s need to control the exit of its citizens during wartime. On the other hand, many believe that the measures are excessive and disproportionately affect artists, scientists, and journalists, limiting their freedom of movement for the cultural representation of their country.