SBI on Mazepa case: development of Kyiv HPP lands could lead to man-made disaster
Kyiv • UNN
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) warns that construction in the area of the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant (HPP) could lead to a man-made disaster.
The development of the territory where the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant is located can lead to a man-made disaster. This was reported by SBI Director Oleksiy Sukhachov, who was quoted by the SBI commenting on the case of Igor Mazepa, UNN reports.
Details
He emphasized that the left-bank protection dam of the Cascade of Kyiv HPPs and PSPs of Ukrhydroenergo is located on the territory of Lebedivska and Htoonivska village councils of Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region. It is more than 65 km long (covering 3,000 hectares) and is a hydraulic structure that belongs to the state-owned property under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy.
"Any residential construction on the dam is prohibited by law," emphasized the Bureau's director.
"Permission to allocate land on the territory of hydraulic structures can only be granted for lease for haying or grazing, forestry, hunting or fishing activities. There is a reason why construction on this site is prohibited by law - it could lead to a man-made disaster, which, by the way, could affect not only the residents of these towns, but also Kyiv residents," emphasized Sukhachov.
According to him, in particular, the development of the coastal area has made it difficult for Kyiv HPP employees to carry out routine and other work.
Sukhachev noted that the land is located in a picturesque place, not far from the metropolis, and is attractive to developers and clients. Over the past ten years, elite cottage communities have been growing like wildfire in this area.
According to him, in January 2022, the Bureau was transferred to investigate the criminal proceedings on the seizure of land and hydraulic structures in the Kyiv region, which had been investigated by various pre-trial investigation bodies since 2014.
He also said that officials of the State Geocadastre and other officials who are subjects of the State Bureau of Investigation were involved in the scheme. That is why our law enforcement agency is investigating this case.
According to him, since 2022, SBI investigators have been actively involved in the work, conducted a large amount of investigative actions, and conducted many necessary examinations that made it possible to prove the involvement of not only local officials and officials of the State Geocadastre of Kyiv region, but also well-known businessmen - developers.
The illegal privatization of more than 7 hectares has already been documented, but the work does not stop for a minute. Measures are currently being taken to prove the involvement of these individuals in the seizure of about 300 hectares of land with an estimated value of UAH 1.1 billion.
Sukhachev described the illegal scheme in detail: officials issued land on the territory of the Kyiv HPP, ostensibly for farming, including to fictitious persons who were found by businessmen's associates for 1,000 hryvnias. Then the businessmen's companies bought these plots from them for nothing. Next, elite housing was built and sold at a price of USD 500,000 and above, but only the land plot was sold to the new owner, and no taxes were accrued or paid on the sale of the house. To avoid the established procedure for putting a residential building into operation, certificates were issued that contained deliberately false information that the buildings were built before 1991.