The SBI unmasked a criminal group that had cut down forests for more than UAH 4 million

The SBI unmasked a criminal group that had cut down forests for more than UAH 4 million dbr.gov.ua

Anna Velyka

Dealers can get up to 7 years in prison

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation completed pre-trial investigation and submitted to the court the case against an organized group of 9 people, which only for 5 months of illegal activity cut down about 1 thousand trees in Kirovohrad region. By their actions “black loggers” caused damage to the state for more than 4 million UAH.

About it reports the State bureau of investigations.

In March 2023, the forest master of one of the forestries of the region organized illegal cutting of trees under the guise of sanitary. In accomplices he attracted a senior forest master, a forester and 6 civilian participants who directly cut, removed and sold wood. They used forged invoices to simulate the legality of timber transportation to the customer.

dbr.gov.ua

The group members are accused of illegally cutting down trees in forests, which led to grave consequences, and of official forgery (part 2 of article 27, part 3 of article 27, part 3 of article 28, part 4 of article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, part 2 of article 27, part 3 of article 27, part 3 of article 28, part 2 of article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for punishment of up to 7 years in prison.

The other day, EcoPolitic reported that in Bukovina a scheme of illegal logging worth millions of hryvnia was exposed.

Related
Digest of environmental crimes of the week: fight against developers, tree felling, and theft of mineral resources
Digest of environmental crimes of the week: fight against developers, tree felling, and theft of mineral resources

Specifically, in the Kharkiv region, authorities are seeking to recover more than 100 million hryvnias from a company for the illegal extraction of loam and clay

In which regions of Ukraine is it prohibited to spend time in the woods?
In which regions of Ukraine is it prohibited to spend time in the woods?

In most regions, forest areas are completely off-limits to civilians

The Bern Convention Committee is demanding an explanation from Ukraine regarding the construction of the NMMC in the Markhalivsky Forest
The Bern Convention Committee is demanding an explanation from Ukraine regarding the construction of the NMMC in the Markhalivsky Forest

The committee is also awaiting a plan of measures designed to compensate for the damage caused to wildlife

Ihor Zubovych will head the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" until a competition is held for the position of CEO
Ihor Zubovych will head the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" until a competition is held for the position of CEO

The official joined the state-owned enterprise less than three weeks ago