In just under three months of 2026, losses to the forestry sector resulting from criminal acts by officials amounted to 133 million hryvnias. This figure represents the confirmed damages from crimes uncovered during this period by employees of the State Bureau of Investigations.
This was reported by the SBI.
Last year, the total losses reached 546 million hryvnias. That same year, courts seized assets belonging to the accused worth 105 million hryvnias. Seven million hryvnias were returned to the state, and another 3.2 million hryvnias were recovered in early 2026.
Cases against violators
Since the beginning of the year, 39 criminal cases have already been opened in the forestry sector. Thirty-three individuals have been charged with committing a crime. For 44 suspects, the case has moved to the next stage—indictments against them have been sent to court.
The State Bureau of Investigation also provided comparable figures for the previous year. In total, 456 criminal cases were investigated in 2025. Notices of suspicion were served on 143 individuals, and 77 indictments concerning the criminal acts of 144 individuals were sent to court.
Source: State Bureau of Investigation
High-profile crimes in the forestry sector
Among recent examples of SBI’s work is the case concerning logging in the “Hutsulshchyna” National Park. As previously reported by EcoPolitica, a criminal conspiracy by forestry enterprise officials led to the felling of over 13,500 trees, with damages exceeding UAH 731 million. The investigation into this case has already been completed, with all materials handed over to the court.
Due to illegal logging, the management of the forestry enterprise in Ternopil region will also be prosecuted. There, the falsification of forestry documentation enabled the destruction of more than 6,200 trees amounting to nearly UAH 57 million in damages.
