he later apologized , suggesting the stunt was just part of his usual onstage schtick .
the scandal erupted after a video surfaced on youtube of the band 's bassist , jared hasselhoff , shouting " do n't tell putin " before shoving a russian flag into his pants during a july 31 concert in odessa , ukraine .
moscow , august 5 ( ria novosti ) – russia ’s interior ministry said monday that it had opened a criminal charges after one of the group jokingly desecrated a russian flag at a recent concert in ukraine .
seconds after the act occurred , the band left russia sunday , cnn has learned russia has opened a criminal case on an american band after one of its members stuffed the russian flag into his pants , pulled it out his backside and whipped it between his legs , state - run news agency ria novosti reported monday .
the incident suggests that as russia - us relations plummet to a post - cold war low , unscripted moments like this , as well as the ongoing edward snowden saga , are increasingly shaping public perceptions on both sides .
during a performance by the band , bloodhound gang , in the ukrainian port of odessa on july 31 , bassist jared hasselhoff crammed a russian flag down his pants and literally wiped his butt with it , a youtube video shows .
ria novosti reported that russia 's interior ministry has issued a statement saying that a " specialized investigative unit " within the ministry " launched a criminal case regarding desecration of the national flag . "
a musician told the audience " do n't tell putin " and then tossed the flag into the audience at a concert wednesday in odessa , ukraine .
“ after a check of actions … committed by a foreign musician at a rock concert in odessa , ukraine , a specialized investigative unit of russia ’s interior ministry in the krasnodar territory launched a criminal case regarding the desecration of the national flag , ” the ministry said in a statement .