EcoPolitic has traditionally compiled an overview of the most high-profile investigations involving individuals who have harmed Ukrainian nature. The material is based on data from the State Bureau of Investigations, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and regional prosecutor's offices.
Land cases
- In the Pyriatyn National Park in Poltava region, officials transferred protected lands to private ownership over the years. Then, 95 plots covering an area of about 100 hectares "ended up" being leased to a farm, whose manager was the head of one of the village councils. The State Bureau of Investigation notified him, as well as two former heads of the Main Directorate of the State Geocadastre and the head of one of the departments of the Pyriatyn City Council, of their suspicion. The losses are estimated at UAH 6 million, and as punishment, the participants in the scheme could face up to six years in prison.
- In addition, more than 160 hectares of forest were returned to the state in the Poltava region. A private company leased them back in 2006 for a purely symbolic fee of up to UAH 42 per year. However, the lessee did not even pay this, and instead illegally cut down trees and completely neglected the territory. An additional "nuance" is that the land was not even entered in the State Cadastre. Following the actions of the Poltava prosecutor's office, the plots were finally officially registered, and the data on them was entered into the land cadastre. The forest was returned to the balance sheet of the Poltava Regional State Administration, which is preparing it for transfer to the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine."
Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General
- Land belonging to the water fund worth over UAH 11.5 million was returned to the ownership of the Kuyalnik community in Odesa region. The territory with ponds covering an area of 6.7 hectares had been leased for 15 years. However, for the last five years, the tenants—two farms—had been using the ponds for fishing purposes virtually free of charge. Following lawsuits filed by the prosecutor's office, the lease agreements were terminated and the ponds were returned to the ownership of the village council.
- The Zboriv City Council in Ternopil region registered more than 14 hectares of water resources as communal property. Thus, state-owned land with hydraulic structures became land "for commercial agricultural production." Following a lawsuit filed by the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor's Office, the municipality's actions were declared unlawful, and the plots were re-registered as state property.
Photo: Ternopil Regional Prosecutor's Office
- The Koblivska village council in the Mykolaiv region distinguished itself with its actions. There, a section of the forest fund on the Black Sea coast was transferred to private ownership. The intended purpose was changed several times—to "pastures," "private peasant farms," and then to "for the construction of tourist infrastructure." The plot was returned to the state.
Illegal logging worth millions
- More than 2,600 trees were illegally destroyed at the Grozynske State Enterprise in Zhytomyr region, causing losses to the state of over UAH 14.6 million. Instead of protecting forest lands, the former director of the state enterprise decided to start logging. She involved the head of the forestry enterprise and a private entrepreneur in the "work." The participants in the scheme have been notified of the charges against them and face up to seven years in prison.
Photo: Zhytomyr Regional Prosecutor’s Office
- Losses from the “activities” of two officials from the state forestry enterprise in the Lviv region are estimated at nearly 9 million UAH. During 2020–22, while serving as acting directors of the forestry enterprise, they issued logging permits for the illegal felling of more than 2,000 trees. Indictments have been submitted to the court, and the accused face up to 10 years of imprisonment.
- Illegal logging in a landscape park in the Chernihiv region caused environmental damages of nearly 8 million UAH. The perpetrators in this case were local government authorities who failed to ensure adequate forest protection. The Kozelets District Prosecutor’s Office proved this in court, and the prosecutors’ claim for damages to be recovered from the local authorities was granted.
- Illegal activities by a resident of the Kirovohrad region resulted in over 1.2 million UAH in damages. He organized industrial-scale tree felling, which affected shelterbelts in the Dobrovelychkivska and Tyshkivska communities. The “black logger” faces five to seven years of imprisonment.
- Residents of the Dnipropetrovsk region followed a similar path-their tree felling in protective forest belts cost the state 1.3 million UAH.
Environmental Pollution
In the Vinnytsia region, a local entrepreneur caused contamination of land with wastewater over an area of more than 3,000 sq m due to negligence. The environmental damage is estimated at 8 million UAH.
Anticipating an ecological disaster, residents of the village of Zarvantsi repeatedly complained about pollution from the local sewage pumping station. However, the manager of the homeowners’ association and the company servicing the facility ignored the dissatisfaction of residents and regulatory authorities for a long period.
The culprit has been notified of suspicion. In addition to land contamination, he is charged with violations of labor protection laws that resulted in a fatality, as well as threats of murder.
