Illegal logging organized for UAH 42 million: four officials in Lviv region served with suspicion notices

Law enforcement agencies have notified four officials in Lviv region of suspicion for large-scale illegal logging, which caused environmental damage exceeding 42 million hryvnias. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Details

The investigation established that during 2020-2023, four suspects, holding leadership positions or acting as directors of forestry enterprises, groundlessly issued logging permits.

As a result of illegal large-scale logging of trees in mixed-age and mixed forest stands, over 9,500 trees were destroyed. Preliminary environmental damage is estimated at more than 42 million hryvnias.

The suspects have been notified of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 4 of Art. 246 (illegal logging or illegal transportation, storage, sale of timber);
• Part 3 of Art. 365 (exceeding authority or official powers by a law enforcement officer).

The sanctions of the articles provide for imprisonment for a term of five to ten years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

Recall

On Friday, July 25, police and SBU officers conducted searches at the administrative buildings of the Lviv City Council. Oleg Polishchuk, director of LKP "Rembud", former acting head of Frankivsk district administration Oksana Strumelyak, and head of Halych district administration Halyna Hladik came under suspicion of embezzling almost 2 million hryvnias of budget funds.

Later, law enforcement agencies officially announced suspicion of embezzlement of UAH 1.7 million of budget funds to the aforementioned officials.