The Ukrainian environment continues to suffer due to officials’ negligence, greed, and peculiar “mistakes” in state registries.
EcoPolitic has prepared for you an overview of crimes against Ukraine’s nature that have come to light from January 24 to 30. The information in this material derives from official sources of the State Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Prosecutor General and its regional branches, as well as the State Environmental Inspectorate with its regional divisions.
Subsoil
In Chernivtsi region, the special permit for extraction of minerals from the Cheremosh River has been revoked. Legislation directly prohibits gravel extraction in riverbeds. However, in a strange twist, the central section of the Vashkivtsi deposit was included among the State Geology and Subsoil Service’s auction lots.
The brick factory in Ivano-Frankivsk region “slightly” exceeded the designated area. The company held a special permit for loam extraction, yet the director organized a separate digging site outside this boundary, closer to the production facilities. The damage to the state amounted to UAH 3.4 million.
Land disputes
The Prut-Tysa Landscape Park has existed for 15 years without approved project documentation. Because of this, over 10,000 ha of valuable protected land are at risk of alienation and illegal logging. Therefore, the prosecutor’s office is demanding through the court that the Zakarpattia Regional Council and Regional Military Administration finally approve a project for organizing the area.
Source: Zakarpattia Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
And in Kyiv region, the prosecutor’s office is also demanding in court that the Kyiv City Council demarcate the boundaries of the local landscape reserve “Sovska Balka.” This 37 ha landscape reserve was created back in 2020, but its data has still not been entered into the State Land Cadastre, and the territory has no special markings.
In Kyiv region, the prosecutor’s office managed to return 385 ha of forest to state ownership. Back in 2023, one of the local councils in the Boryspil district included forest lands in communal property. In reality, these lands belong to the state, with “Forests of Ukraine” State Enterprise as the permanent user. By court decision, the land was re-registered, and the village council’s decision declared invalid.
Two residents of Dnipropetrovsk region misappropriated forest fund land using forged documents. Two parcels belonging to the “Forests of Ukraine” State Enterprise became “development land.” One of them was even resold. The state suffered losses of almost UAH 1 million. The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are being held in custody.
Forest cases
На Rivne region, a rather "elaborate" scheme involving illegal logging was organized by the forest ranger of the Verkhivske forestry of the Poliskyi Forest Office, State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine". The participants in this scheme also included the official’s son-in-law and the owner of an illegal sawmill. The forester identified trees for illegal logging, his relative would fell and transport them, and the entrepreneur processed and sold the wood. The "meticulous" criminals buried the stumps and even planted other vegetation to conceal the traces of their crime. The group did not stop at destroying trees in the nature reserve fund either. As a result, the state suffered almost UAH 1 million in damages, while the perpetrators now face up to seven years in prison. The indictment in the case has already been referred to court.
Source: State Bureau of Investigation.
Meanwhile, an engineer in charge of forest protection and security at the "Kyiv Forestry Office" branch of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" tried to earn a "little extra." The official demanded a monthly "bonus" of $500 from an entrepreneur in exchange for not conducting inspections during timber transportation. The engineer was part of the group that patrols forestry districts in the Korosten district of Zhytomyr region. The indictment for extortion has been sent to court.
Source: Zhytomyr Regional Prosecutor's Office.
In Dnipropetrovsk region, three residents were illegally logging trees in shelterbelts and subsequently selling them as raw materials. The losses are estimated at over UAH 1 million. During searches, more than 100 cubic meters of finished wood products, as well as chainsaws and documents, were seized from the offenders. The pre-trial investigation is still ongoing.
Source: Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Pollution
A heat supply enterprise in Lviv region ignored the expiration of its emissions permits and the requirements of regulatory authorities to rectify violations. Despite all orders, the company continued to operate and emit pollutants into the environment. The state was harmed by more than UAH 20 million, and residents now face an increased risk of elevated sulfur dioxide and nitrogen concentrations. The company director has received a notice of suspicion.
Fires at the landfill near Poltava not only poisoned the air, but also caused almost UAH 10 million in environmental damages. This happened due to the actions of an employee at the landfill in the village of Makuhiivka. He is accused of violating fire safety requirements and causing air pollution, which created an environmental hazard and other severe consequences. The indictment has been submitted to court, and Poltava KATP-1628 is now required to compensate the losses. The landfill is managed by this company.
In Ivano-Frankivsk region, the director of a private enterprise organized an illegal tire incineration workshop. Predictably, there was no specialized site for storing toxic waste. As a result, ash, slag, and heavy metals from the tires freely entered the soil. The manager has been notified of suspicion, and the preliminary assessment of damages amounted to half a million hryvnias.
Source: Office of the Prosecutor General.
You can find information on last week’s environmental crimes at this link
