The SBI detained the former director of the forest farm, who organized the felling for 53 million UAH

The SBI detained the former director of the forest farm, who organized the felling for 53 million UAH

Katerina Belousova

More than 7,000 trees were destroyed in the forest, which significantly damaged its ecosystem

The detectives of the State Bureau of Investigation submitted an indictment to the court against the foreman of the Mogilev-Podilskyi Forest Farm, who illegally issued permits for felling trees worth 53 million hryvnias.

They will also judge the former acting the deputy head of the Vinnytsia Oblast Department of Forestry and Hunting, who approved these logging tickets, reports SBI on Telegram.

It is noted that the former head of the forest farm signed permits for logging without an environmental impact assessment procedure. More than 7,000 trees on an area of ​​14 hectares were destroyed in the forest.

"In addition, the ecosystem of the forest was damaged, it may take more than a dozen years to restore it," the report emphasized.

The DBR added that the property of the accused has been seized for further compensation of losses to the state budget. Both officials are accused of exceeding official authority, which caused serious consequences, committed by a group of persons (Part 1 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). They face up to 10 years in prison.

Earlier, EcoPoli6tic wrote, that in September in Vinnytsia, the former director of the State Enterprise "Mohyliv-Podilske Forestry" was informed of the suspicion of facilitating the felling of 7,000 trees on an area of ​​14 hectares.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, in Odesa, the director of the forest farm was informed of a suspicion of exceeding his official powers regarding issuing logging tickets on the territory of the Severyniv Forestry, which is part of the "Kuyalnytskyi" National Nature Park. The state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" stated that the management of forestry was not informed that in January 2022 this territory became part of the national park.

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They emphasized that changes in legislation and institutional approaches are currently needed to bring order to this area