The former director of the forest farm was exposed in a large-scale criminal scheme of cutting down the forest

The former director of the forest farm was exposed in a large-scale criminal scheme of cutting down the forest shutterstock
Katerina Belousova

The perpetrator faces up to 10 years in prison

In Vinnytsia, the former director of the Mogilev-Podil Forestry State Enterprise was informed of suspicion of facilitating the felling of 7,000 trees on an area of ​​14 hectares.

The investigation documented 5 episodes of illegal activity by officials, which caused damage in the amount of about 50 million hryvnias, informs Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office.

It is noted that the former director was informed of the suspicion of exceeding official authority, which caused serious consequences (Part 1 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanctions of the article provide for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 7 to 10 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.

According to the investigation, in 2020, the official, contrary to the requirements of the current legislation, issued permits for illegal felling of trees.

The report emphasized that the ex-director cooperated with the acting first deputy head of the Vinnytsia Regional Department of Forestry and Hunting, who is also a suspect in criminal proceedings.

As EcoPolitic reported earlier, in Ivano-Frankivsk region, 5 employees of the state-owned enterprise "Kutske lisove hodstvo" will be tried for illegal felling of trees in the national nature park "Hutsulshchyna", which, according to preliminary estimates, caused 100 million UAH in damages.

Related
Weekly round-up of environmental crimes: billions in losses from mineral resources, forests and pollution
Weekly round-up of environmental crimes: billions in losses from mineral resources, forests and pollution

In two instances, business owners felled thousands of trees on leased land without permission

Hostels for pollinating insects: special shelters for bees have been set up in the Kyiv region
Hostels for pollinating insects: special shelters for bees have been set up in the Kyiv region

The plan is to create around fifty sites where bees and wasps can settle

War-damaged woodland to be felled: these and other provisions of the new government decree
War-damaged woodland to be felled: these and other provisions of the new government decree

Trees felled during sanitary felling during the war will not be counted towards the felling quota