Illegal logging remains the most common crime. Officials organise entire schemes involving document forgery, while "black loggers" simply destroy trees when no one is watching. However, the most damaging crimes were a fire caused by a cigarette butt in the Kharkiv region and the establishment of a landfill in the middle of fields in the Lviv region.
EcoPolitic presents its traditional digest of crimes against the environment. Information about violations during the week of 17-23 January was provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General and regional branches of the prosecutor's office, the State Bureau of Investigations, and the State Environmental Inspection with regional offices.
Arson causing tens of millions in damage
A smouldering cigarette butt caused over 30 million hryvnia in damage. A resident of the village of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region was fishing on Lake Ruduvate in the spring. The water body is located on the territory of the Kreidanska Forest Dacha landscape reserve of local importance. The man threw a cigarette butt into dry grass. As a result of this small act of negligence, a huge area – 350 hectares of forest – burned down. Firefighters tried to extinguish the fire for five days. The man has been notified of the suspicion.
Fight for land
More than 600 ha of the Ladyzhyn Reservoir were returned to the municipal community of Haisyn in the Vinnytsia region. A local entrepreneur had previously used the land illegally and did not pay rent, despite carrying out fishery activities. The water fund lands were reclaimed in court.
An agricultural enterprise attempted, using forged documents, to secure a lease for 120 ha of land in the Pryorilskyi landscape reserve in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Prosecutors intervened, the illegal re-registration of the plot was canceled, and the protected area land was returned to the community.
Due to illegal orders by the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre (StateGeoCadastre), 50 ha of forest, previously managed by a state forestry enterprise, suddenly turned into agricultural land and became the property of the Turynska settlement council. The prosecution is now trying to return the forest to the state.
Destruction of trees
A brazen scheme for logging in the frontline area of the Donetsk region was orchestrated by the former director of the Sloviansk forestry division of State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" together with five subordinates. Having obtained fictitious tree condition reports from the State Specialized Forestry Enterprise "Kharkivliszakhyst", the officials destroyed more than 1,800 trees across 50 ha of forest plantations in the Kramatorsk, Mayatsk, Katerynivka, and Oleksandrivka forestries. The damage to the state amounted to over 14.6 million UAH, and the perpetrators face up to ten years of imprisonment.
Another official from the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" will be tried together with a member of the Transcarpathian Regional Council and a transport entrepreneur. The criminals set up a scheme for the illegal felling and sale of timber. Ironically, the deputy headed the commission on ecology and natural resources. Instead, these natural resources were destroyed for personal gain, causing losses to the state of over 1.8 million hryvnias. The illegally felled oak trees were transported to a company owned by the head of the Berehove Forestry. After the sale, the funds were legalised through sole proprietorships controlled by the deputy. The participants in the scheme face imprisonment for up to seven years.
Source: dbr.gov.ua.
The illegal logging scheme involving document forgery and an attempt to frame a colleague was orchestrated by the head forester and an assistant from one of the forest divisions of the "Kovel Forestry" branch of SE "Forests of Ukraine". A local entrepreneur was also recruited for the "operation". In 2024, the offenders logged and removed over 165 cubic meters of valuable pine logs. In order to cover their tracks, they understated the value and volume of the raw materials in the electronic accounting system. They entered the data under another employee’s name. The individuals involved even admitted their guilt and transferred a "repentant" UAH 100,000 to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Nevertheless, they still face up to seven years in prison.
A relatively minor, but highly illustrative crime was committed by the head of a municipal enterprise in Odesa region. Instead of restoring green areas, he decided to destroy them at the taxpayers’ expense. He involved six subordinates, provided them with municipal equipment, and cut down 75 acacias on the forestry territory in Bolhrad district. The timber was seized, and the investigation is ongoing.
In the Lubny community in Poltava region, local residents were "noted" for logging activities. Without permits, they felled oaks in forest belts and sold the timber. The damage caused is preliminarily estimated at over UAH 1 million.
In Zhytomyr region, near the village of Myaskivka, unidentified persons cut down more than 300 trees. The State Environmental Inspectorate reports that the damage from the crime amounted to about UAH 4.9 million.
Pollution
A contractor of the Zolochiv City Council in the Lviv region was supposed to remove solid household waste under contract. However, its director decided not to limit himself to the allocated storage area. Thus, 3 ha of agricultural land nearby became an improvised landfill site. Nitrates, zinc, lead and other harmful substances successfully poisoned the fertile soils. The damage caused by the entrepreneur’s actions amounted to almost UAH 48 million. The director of the enterprise has been notified of suspicion.
Source: lviv.gp.gov.ua.
You can learn about environmental crimes against Ukraine that became known last week at this link.
