This week's main characters are government officials. Their abuse of office and rather ingenious schemes have caused tens of millions in losses to the state and the environment.
EcoPolitic has prepared a digest of crimes against the environment that came to light between January 10 and 16. The material is based on data from the Office of the Prosecutor General, regional prosecutor's offices, the State Bureau of Investigation, the State Environmental Inspection, and its regional branches.
Corruption cases
More than UAH 20 million in unjustified assets owned by the relatives of the former head of the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Carpathian District will be confiscated in favor of the state. Three apartments in the center of Ivano-Frankivsk and new luxury cars could in no way be justified by the official incomes of the officer and his family. The former head of the Inspectorate acquired them during his term and registered them to close associates.
Another government official was taken into custody this week. This concerns the former head of the Southern Interregional Forestry and Hunting Management. While still in office, the man demanded $25,000 from a hunting association for the use of 13,000 hectares of hunting grounds in Odesa region.
Illegal use of subsoil resources
On land designated for residential development, a resident of the village of Shipyntsi in Bukovina decided to extract a sand and gravel mixture. The damage to the environment exceeded UAH 15 million. The man effectively created an illegal quarry and organized the extraction and removal of almost 9,000 cubic meters of the mixture.
Source: Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office
Destruction of forests
The former director of the Dnipro Forestry Branch of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" and his subordinate caused losses to the state in excess of UAH 22 million. The officials organized the felling of trees in the Obukhiv Forestry Reserve. When drawing up the documents, they did not obtain the mandatory permit for the special use of forest resources.
The officials are already under suspicion by the State Bureau of Investigation. For exceeding their official powers by prior conspiracy, they face imprisonment for a term of 10 years.
Source: State Bureau of Investigation
For the Rava-Ruska forestry enterprise, illegal logging has already become a hereditary phenomenon. The SBI reported that a fifth head of the company would be prosecuted for such violations. Previously, EcoPolitics reported that due to his actions, losses amounted to almost UAH 10 million, and forests in the Lviv region have 2,711 fewer trees.
На Vinnytsia region, two forest wardens failed to detect illegal logging amounting to UAH 2.5 million. While the officials of the Sytkivetske forestry of the Haisyn Forest Enterprise of SE “Forests of Ukraine” were not vigilant, private businessmen cut down more than 400 trees. For official negligence, the forestry employees face up to 5 years of imprisonment.
A forestry official in Kirovohrad region also displayed selective blindness to crime. Due to his negligence, more than 200 trees were cut down in the “Novomyrhorodske 2” reserve. The damages amounted to almost UAH 5 million. For ignoring his duties, he may face up to 5 years in prison.
The director of SE “Veselynivske Forestry” in Mykolaiv region stood out for his exceptional enterprising spirit. The official was supposed to ensure forest planting on the plot, but decided to make extra money and sowed wheat instead. The state suffered millions in damages. For official negligence, the official may lose his freedom for 5 years.
Not only officials contributed to the devastation of Ukrainian forests. In Dnipropetrovsk region, a local businessman formed an organised group with four acquaintances and, during 2024–2025, was logging trees in the Kamianske district. The timber was sold. The state incurred losses of more than UAH 21 million.
Source: Dnipro Regional Prosecutor's Office
Poaching
Illegal fishing subscription in Ivano-Frankivsk region cost UAH 10,000. This was the rate set for poachers by the head of the State Agency for the Development of Land Reclamation, Fisheries, and Food Programs in the region.
He first confiscated watercraft from violators, then offered an interesting solution himself. He also ordered valuable fish and crayfish from poachers. They would send him the fishing locations so he could provide timely warnings about patrol approaches. A pre-trial investigation into illegal benefit is ongoing.
Source: State Bureau of Investigation
In Chernivtsi region, two citizens decided it would be a good idea to fish within the boundaries of the “Khotyn” National Reserve. This decision resulted in environmental damage of UAH 1.7 million and a guilty verdict for poaching.
Environmental pollution
An official from one of the enterprises in Zaporizhzhia region was responsible for large-scale environmental pollution. The level of soil contamination exceeds the permitted norm by more than 10 times, with damages amounting to over 5.5 million UAH. The enterprise was supposed to dispose of hazardous waste, in particular through incineration. Several emission sources operated without permits, resulting in harmful substances entering the air at concentrations three times higher than the allowed norm. Ash residues from incineration were dumped into the soil.
Source: Zaporizhzhia Regional Prosecutor’s Office
An illegal landfill in Ivano-Frankivsk region was set up by the former head of a municipal utility company under the Lanchyn village council. For five years, all household waste from the entire community was dumped at the “Dilok” site. Damages amounted to 1.6 million UAH, with pollutant concentrations exceeding the norm on one hectare of contaminated land. The official has been served a suspicion notice.
You can learn about environmental crimes reported last week by following this link.
