The Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) will sell the equipment of a mining farm illegally set up on the premises of one of the branches of the state enterprise Forests of Ukraine.
The announcement was published on the ARMA website.
This is an underground data center for cryptocurrency mining in the offices of the Rava-Rus forestry in Lviv region. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) announced its discovery in June 2023.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
At the time, systematic overloading of utility networks caused blackouts and large-scale power outages in residential areas and critical infrastructure located nearby. The losses to the state from the illegal activities of the foresters, which lasted more than a year, amounted to more than UAH 1.5 million, and the defendants earned at least UAH 4 million.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
Now the Lychakivskyi District Court of Lviv has transferred the seized technical equipment of the underground crypto farm to the ARMA for further sale.
Photo: dbr.gov.ua.
But the most interesting thing was the reaction of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” to the publication of this information. In its official telegram channel, the company decided to give an explanation and at the same time complain about its former employees. To be honest, this explanation raises even more questions than it answers.
See for yourself.
What is wrong with the explanations of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”
What foresters say
According to the state enterprise, an underground data center for cryptocurrency mining was discovered in the offices of the Rava-Ruska branch back in June 2023.
“The data center appeared in the forestry a year before the creation of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” – in March 2022. Since then, the forestry's electricity payments have increased significantly (up to 23 thousand kW per month),” the foresters say.
What is the discrepancy?
First, the order to establish the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” was issued on October 26, 2022, and not in March 2023, as it may seem from the statements of the foresters. The difference is almost six months.
Secondly, has no one in the top management been surprised or interested in the fact that a forestry enterprise can spend tens of thousands of kilowatts of electricity for a whole year? It was impossible not to notice such an abnormal increase in consumption. Therefore, one naturally suspects that part of the mining profits went to those who were diligently “not noticing” it.
Violators are still not punished
According to the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, in the fall of 2023, people associated with the forestry management tried to burn down the forestry premises where the crypto farm was previously located. Also, despite 4 criminal proceedings opened by the SBI, none of the former managers has been brought to justice so far.
The State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” claims that the ex-directors of the forestry have been reinstated twice through the local court and are trying to be reinstated for the third time. The company also accused the “group that ran the forestry” of organizing a “black” information campaign against the management of the state enterprise. But here we still need to find out who exactly appointed this “group” to their positions. And we will not be surprised if it turns out to be officials of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, which is now actively denying its involvement.
In June 2023, EcoPolitics reported that in the Lviv region, the management of a branch of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” organized an underground data center for cryptocurrency mining in the office premises of the Rava-Rus forestry.
