5 forestry officials will be tried for cutting down trees worth tens of millions of hryvnias shutterstock

5 forestry officials will be tried for cutting down trees worth tens of millions of hryvnias

Katerina Belousova

Perpetrators face imprisonment for 7 to 10 years

In Vinnytsia, the prosecutor's office informed 5 officials from the management of the forestry and hunting management district and Kryzhopol forestry of suspicion of exceeding their official powers, which caused serious consequences.

They are suspected of illegal felling of trees worth about 87 million hryvnias, the press service reports Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office.

If the court finds them guilty, the officials face 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.

"The pre-trial investigation is carried out by investigators of the fourth investigative department (located in Vinnytsia) of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation, located in Khmelnytskyi. "Currently, the question of selecting preventive measures for the suspects and removing them from their positions is being resolved," the press service said.

Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in Lviv region the SSU exposed several officials from the forest farm, who earned on the appropriation and sale of high-grade wood in wartime conditions.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, a fish inspector from Odesa will be tried for systematic bribery, which the man demanded for fishing permits in the waters of the Shabolat estuary during spawning.

Related
Hidden assets worth millions of hryvnias found in fisheries patrol inspector
Hidden assets worth millions of hryvnias found in fisheries patrol inspector

Now, he can either receive a fine of up to UAH 68 thousand or go to jail for up to 2 years

Illegal enrichment of more than UAH 44 million: former director of the branch of "Forests of Ukraine" received suspicion
Illegal enrichment of more than UAH 44 million: former director of the branch of "Forests of Ukraine" received suspicion

Despite the "reform" of the forestry industry, the number and appetite of corrupt foresters is only growing

Anti-record for five years: in 2024, illegal logging caused UAH 817 million in losses to Ukraine
Anti-record for five years: in 2024, illegal logging caused UAH 817 million in losses to Ukraine

At the same time, the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" regularly boasts of successful transformations of the forest industry, but the numbers make us doubt it very much