Large-scale logging worth almost UAH 300 million: forestry officials who illegally issued logging tickets exposed in Ivano-Frankivsk region - SBI. PHOTO
SBI officers, in cooperation with the SSU, served a notice of suspicion to the management of the Kutske Forestry, which had organised illegal felling of trees in a protected area.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the SBI press centre.
As noted, the officials organised illegal felling of trees in the "Hutsulshchyna" National Nature Park, causing damage to the state in the amount of almost UAH 300 million.
According to the investigation, the director of the forestry, together with the head of one of the departments, an engineer and the head of the liquidation commission, illegally issued logging tickets that allowed selective felling under the guise of rehabilitation and forest formation. However, no approvals were obtained from the Ministry of Ecology and the regional administration, making these actions illegal.
Between May and December 2022, more than 1,700 trees of various species were cut down in the park using forged documents. According to the expert assessment, the environmental damage caused by the felling amounted to over UAH 257 million.
All four defendants were served a notice of suspicion of abuse of office and illegal logging and sale of timber as part of an organised criminal group (Article 246(4) and 365(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The penalty under these articles is up to 10 years in prison.
It is reported that the issue of compensation for damages is currently being decided, and the court has imposed pre-trial restraints on the suspects: detention for the director, the head of the liquidation commission and the head of the department, and house arrest for the engineer.
The Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Prosecutor's Office is leading the case.
