The director general of a nature reserve in the Kyiv region will stand trial for extortion and receiving a bribe of UAH 100,000.
This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.
The investigation established that the official used his position to extort a bribe of UAH 100,000 from a representative of an unnamed business entity. In exchange for this money, he promised to grant permission to hold media events on the territory of the reserve, which has a special usage regime.
The suspect received an unlawful benefit and, along with it, a suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, “Acceptance of a proposal, promise, or receipt of an unlawful benefit by an official.” The sanction of this article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to 3 years, with confiscation of property.
Currently, a preventive measure has been chosen for the accused, and his property has been seized.
We would like to note that there is only one nature reserve in the Kyiv region – the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve. From 2019 to mid-2024, its director was Oleksandr Mykolayovych Galushchenko. In January this year, a new head was introduced to the employees of the nature reserve.
Recently, EcoPolitic reported on the presentation of suspicions to two other corrupt officials. The first is the chief state inspector of the State Agency for the Development of Land Reclamation, Fisheries, and Food Programs in the Kyiv region. In his annual declaration for 2024, he “forgot” to mention an apartment worth almost UAH 3.5 million, as well as a car.
The second is the former director of the Kostopil Forestry branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.” He is suspected of illegal enrichment of more than UAH 44.3 million.
