First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov said on 5 Kanal TV that the mine's management had removed seals placed by the Government's safety watchdog the day before the explosion.
Coal extraction and works at the mine had also been banned for safety reasons.
Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko said the actions were a "criminal offence".
While 24 miners were rescued from the mine on Monday, 12 are still missing and rescuers have all but lost hope for their recovery. Another man was found dead on Monday.
The gas blast occurred early Sunday morning when miners were carrying out repairs to the mine.
