EcoPolitics journalists have compiled the most high-profile cases of environmental damage over the past week, from September 6 to 12. The sources of information were the State Environmental Inspection (SEI) and its subdivisions, the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), and the press services of prosecutors' offices in various regions.
1) In the Poltava region, wastewater was discharged into the Orchik River, causing damage of more than UAH 1 million.
In the Poltava region, the municipal enterprise Poltavavodokanal discharged wastewater into the Orchik River, causing damage totaling UAH 1.2 million.
Specialists from the State Environmental Inspection recorded that the Karlivka branch of Poltavavodokanal discharged wastewater into the Orchik River from February 2022 to November 2024. Inspectors found that the water had significantly exceeded the permissible level of pollution due to the discharge of wastewater.
The Commercial Court of Poltava Region upheld the claim of the Reshetylivka District Prosecutor's Office regarding the pollution of the Orchik River and ordered the municipal enterprise Poltavavodokanal to compensate for the damage caused in the amount of UAH 1.2 million.
2) Over 250 tons of fish were illegally caught in the Sea of Azov.
Under the guise of scientific research, over 250 tons of fish worth more than UAH 2 million were caught in the Sea of Azov.
The director of the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology legalized scientific research programs that allowed illegal fishing methods. Under the guise of science, the director of the enterprise allowed uncontrolled industrial fishing.
To create the illusion of legal fishing, the official sent employees of the Institute of Fisheries as observers to conduct research, but they did not conduct any research, and unhindered fishing continued in the sea, with the fish being sold immediately without recording the profits in the state institution's accounting records.
According to the investigation, the director of the state-owned enterprise “Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology” was suspected of abuse of office (Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). His actions caused damage to the environment in the amount of UAH 2.3 million.
3) Trees worth over UAH 2 million were cut down in the Chernihiv region.
In the Chernihiv region, criminals cut down trees worth UAH 2.2 million, covering an area of 1.5 hectares.
The illegal logging was reported on the EcoZagroza website, after which the State Environmental Inspection established the fact of logging of pine, birch, and aspen trees in violation of Articles 64 and 69 of the Forest Code of Ukraine and Articles 10 and 25 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Plant World.”
In total, inspectors found 5 cubic meters of timber without the appropriate documents.
4) In the Odesa region, a poacher caused damage amounting to more than UAH 8 million.
In the Odesa region, on the territory of the Tuzlivski Limany National Park, a poacher caught fish worth more than UAH 8 million.
The offender was fishing illegally on Lake Alibey, near the village of Novomykhailivka. He was fishing with two gillnets and caught a total of over 430 fish, causing damage to the National Park worth over UAH 8 million.
The poacher faces punishment under Article 91 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (a fine of 9 to 24 non-taxable minimum incomes with confiscation of fishing gear).
We recommend reading how EcoPolitic compiled the most resonant cases of environmental damage for the week of August 9-15.
We remind you that in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the director of an enterprise is accused of cutting down more than a thousand trees. The damage is estimated at UAH 77 million.
EcoPolitic previously reported that since the beginning of the year, a dozen peat fires have been recorded in the Poltava region. Most often, the fires were caused by the burning of dry grass.
