Illegal logging of 13 thousand trees caused up to a quarter of a billion in damages, 29 suspects - Prosecutor General
Kyiv • UNN
The Prosecutor General reported 29 suspects in the illegal logging of at least 13 thousand trees. Damages to the state amount to over UAH 248.6 million.
In Ukraine, 29 people have become suspects in the illegal felling of at least 13,000 trees, causing over UAH 248.6 million in damages to the state, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko reported on Monday on social media, UNN writes.
At least 13,000 illegally cut trees. Over UAH 248.6 million in damages to the state. 29 suspects. Almost all of them are those who were supposed to protect nature
In most cases, according to the Prosecutor General, "the organizers and participants of the schemes were former and current employees of the forestry industry, in particular, representatives of the over-forestries of the State Enterprise 'Forests of Ukraine', chief foresters, forest masters, and heads of agro-forestry enterprises."
"Also among the figures are officials of the State Geocadastre, the head of one of the territorial communities, entrepreneurs, and other participants of organized criminal groups," he added.
The suspects, the Prosecutor General noted, "committed not random violations, but systematic crimes against the environment and the state:
- illegal logging in the territories of the nature reserve fund, reserves, and regional landscape parks, green spaces of settlements;
- forgery of documents, logging tickets, and applications for obtaining timber;
- logging under the guise of sanitary and reforestation measures;
- illegal sale, transportation, storage, and legalization of timber;
- sale of unprocessed timber at understated prices;
- illegal alienation and privatization of forest fund lands;
- abuse of official position in the interests of organized groups and private business."
"One of the most blatant examples of such 'activity' was a recently dismantled large-scale scheme for legalizing valuable timber species. The organizers, through fictitious entries in the state electronic accounting system, attempted to 'launder' about 19 thousand cubic meters of timber – this is approximately 10 thousand illegally cut oaks, which were planned to be exported abroad under the guise of legally felled ones," the Prosecutor General said.
According to the Prosecutor General, "in 2022-2025, this scheme covered over 100 business entities, including the country's largest exporters, and the total amount of transactions exceeded UAH 147 million." Six members of the organized criminal group, according to him, have been notified of suspicion.
"And in all other exposed cases, we are talking about dozens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of illegally cut down trees. Some of them are particularly valuable species that require centuries to restore," Kravchenko stated and added: "This is not just damage to the state, but irreparable harm to natural populations, ecosystems, and future generations."
"Anyone who profits from the ecocide of their own country and commits systemic crimes will receive a systemic response. We continue to work," Kravchenko emphasized.