A scheme of illegal logging for millions of hryvnias was exposed in Bukovyna

A scheme of illegal logging for millions of hryvnias was exposed in Bukovyna shutterstock

Anna Velyka

Fraudsters face up to 10 years in prison

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation reported suspicion of the forester and two foremen of Beregomet forestry in Chernivtsi region, who illegally cut wood for almost 3.7 million hryvnias.

About it reports the State Bureau of Investigation.

Officials forged documents on the need for sanitary and selective felling of trees that were healthy and not subject to felling. In addition, they indicated inaccurate information about the condition and volume of felled timber in the documents in order to artificially create an excess of timber.

According to the documents, the direct felling of the forest was carried out by a private firm of the forester's sister. He himself managed the work on her behalf and concluded contracts with the leskhoz. Thus the fraudsters cut down and sold 206 trees. They caused damage to the state for 3 million 700 thousand hryvnias.

The forester and foremen are suspected of exceeding official authority, which entailed grave consequences, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, forgery of official duties, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, and illegal cutting of trees in forests, committed repeatedly, which entailed grave consequences, by prior conspiracy by a group of persons (h 2 Art. 28, Part 3, Art. 365, Part 2, Art. 28, Part 2, Art. 366, Part 4, Art.

Perpetrators can be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, the Cabinet of Ministers created another threat to the Ukrainian environment thanks to Resolution No. 454 “Some issues of forestry management during the period of martial law and introducing changes in the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated May 12, 2007 No. 724,” which the government approved on April 23. We also cited 6 main reasons for illegal tree cutting that are not related to war.

Related
Weekly round-up of environmental crimes: the country’s forests, mineral resources and water bodies have suffered
Weekly round-up of environmental crimes: the country’s forests, mineral resources and water bodies have suffered

Thousands of trees have been found to have been illegally felled in the north of the country

In Zakarpattia, there are plans to clear a forest to make way for yet another road — leading to Mount Gostra
In Zakarpattia, there are plans to clear a forest to make way for yet another road — leading to Mount Gostra

At the same time, in breach of its public promises, ‘Forests of Ukraine’ is felling trees near power lines in an area where rare animals and plants have been recorded

Tenders for relatives and MPs: who is restoring Volyn’s forests for over 80 million UAH
Tenders for relatives and MPs: who is restoring Volyn’s forests for over 80 million UAH

Одна з фірм лише за три місяці існування виграла контракти на понад 70 млн грн

It’s not just salamanders: in Zakarpattia, ‘Forests of Ukraine’ have destroyed the habitat of a number of rare species
It’s not just salamanders: in Zakarpattia, ‘Forests of Ukraine’ have destroyed the habitat of a number of rare species

Activists have created an infographic showing the locations where valuable plant and animal species were recorded prior to deforestation