The head of "Forests of Ukraine" will be tried for the organization of logging for UAH 145 million shutterstock

The head of "Forests of Ukraine" will be tried for the organization of logging for UAH 145 million

Katerina Belousova

In 2022-2023, trees were destroyed on the territory of more than 200 hectares

In Odesa, employees of the State Bureau of Investigation referred to the court the case of the head of one of the branches of the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine", who organized the illegal felling of more than 1,500 trees on the territory of the national nature park.

The damage caused by the destruction of trees reached 145 million hryvnias, the press service of the DBR reports.

It is noted that the SBI completed the pre-trial investigation.

"It was established that the official, ignoring the legal requirements, illegally issued logging tickets to his subordinates for felling trees under the guise of sanitary improvement of the forest," the report says.

The press service said that according to this scheme, in 2022-2023, oaks, ash trees and acacias were destroyed on the territory of more than 200 hectares. The official has now been dismissed from his post.

It is noted that he is accused of exceeding official powers (Part 3 of Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). He faces up to 10 years in prison.

"To ensure compensation for the damages caused to the state, the defendant was served with a civil lawsuit for the entire amount of the damages," the message added.

In Odesa, the director of the forest farm was informed of the suspicion of exceeding his official powers regarding the issuance of logging tickets on the territory of the Severyniv Forestry, which is part of the Kuyalnytskyi National Nature Park. The state-owned enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" stated that the management of forestry was not informed that in January 2022 this territory became part of the national park.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, the director of the Vinnytsia branch of the Central Forestry Office of State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" was detained while receiving part of the $4,000 bribe that he systematically demanded from employees.

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