Director of the occupied Askania-Nova Nature Reserve, who transferred rare animals to russia, faces new suspicion
Kyiv • UNN
The prosecutor's office has served a war crime notice to the head of the occupied Askania-Nova nature reserve. The official illegally transferred rare animals worth over UAH 22 million to russia.
The prosecutor's office has served another suspicion to an official of the occupied Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve of committing a war crime against the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine for looting the reserve. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, UNN reports.
Details
The so-called director of the F.E. Falz-Fein Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve, located in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, was served a notice of suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). It is noted that this is the first suspicion of committing a war crime against the nature reserve fund of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, the suspect, in collusion with representatives of nature reserves located in russia - the rostov biosphere reserve and the steppe wildlife association - transferred rare and endangered species to these institutions.
Among the animals transferred were two individuals of Chapman's zebra, American bison, David's deer and Przewalski's horse. The latter are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and are subject to special protection. The total amount of damage caused to the reserve amounted to over UAH 22 million.
The Prosecutor General's Office reminded that the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve is a leading environmental research institution of international importance, included in the international network of biosphere reserves under the UNESCO program and protected by the Hague Convention against looting.
Therefore, the illegal transfer of animals committed by the so-called director of the reserve constitutes a war crime of pillage and a violation of Article 33 of the IV Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons and Articles 28 and 56 of the IV Hague Convention relative to the Laws and Customs of War on Land
Other participants in the crime are currently being identified.
Recall
Earlier, the pseudo-director of the Askania-Nova reserve was notified of suspicion of collaboration with the russian occupation authorities. The man was establishing cooperation with zoos and safari parks in russia, as well as participating in conferences and exhibitions, where he attributed to russia the achievements of Ukrainian researchers in the field of nature conservation.
