In Lviv region, the deputy head of the regional forestry department and seven heads of forestry enterprises were notified of suspicion for illegal logging of rare forests, which caused damage worth more than UAH 64 million.
The suspects issued logging tickets for logging instead of reforesting the land occupied by rare forests, the Prosecutor General's Office reports.
It is noted that the criminal group was organized by the deputy head of the regional department. All its members were notified of suspicion of abuse of office and illegal felling of trees.
The report emphasized that the suspects knew that the regulations did not provide for the felling of rare forests, as this is a category of forest land. During 2019-2022, more than 10 thousand trees were destroyed during illegal logging in Ukraine:
- Zhovkiv forest farm;
- Drohobytsky forest farm;
- Skolivsky Forest Farm;
- Sambir forest farm;
- Radekhiv forest farm.
"In order to cover up his criminal intentions and give the appearance of legality of the actions, the first deputy head of the Lviv Regional Department of Forestry organized illegal logging of sparse forests to the forest management materials of enterprises during the planning of their activities for 10 years," the press service said.
It is noted that the issue of choosing preventive measures for the members of the organized group and removing them from office is currently being decided.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in Lviv region, the Security Service of Ukraine detained a deputy of one of the city councils – the head of the forestry warehouse – during the illegal sale of wood worth almost 40 thousand hryvnias for his own enrichment.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, according to media reports, Oleksandra Sladkova, deputy director of the Economic Development Department of the Lviv City Council, was suspected of money laundering at the lake cleanup.
