The Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Office of the Prosecutor General, together with regional prosecutors and law enforcement agencies, has identified a number of violations in the field of forestry and environmental protection. As a result of the investigations, 11 individuals have been notified of suspicion, and an indictment against 3 individuals has been sent to court. The total amount of damages established for the state is at least 32.8 million UAH.

Prosecutors ensure procedural leadership, initiate the seizure of instruments of crime, request documentation, appoint expert examinations, and take measures to compensate for environmental damage. The work is being carried out systematically and consistently. The facts of violations uncovered last week (September 8–12, 2025):

Transcarpathian Region

• Three senior forest masters of the "Brusturyanske Forestry and Hunting Economy" branch of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" are suspected of providing false information in documents regarding the volumes of allocated timber and attempting to appropriate 640 m³ of spruce by abusing their official position (Part 3 of Article 15, Part 3, 4 of Article 191, Part 2 of Article 28, Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages exceed 1.1 million UAH.

• The forest master of the Dragiv Forestry of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" is suspected of official negligence that led to the illegal felling of over 100 trees (Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages amount to 1.6 million UAH.

• A deputy of the Transcarpathian Regional Council, together with the head of the forestry, is suspected of organizing the illegal transportation and sale of 38 m³ of timber (Part 4 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages exceed 1 million UAH.

• A resident of the village of Pidhirne is suspected of setting fire to vegetation, which destroyed 70 hectares of forest (Part 2 of Article 245 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages are approximately 24 million UAH.

Vinnytsia Region

• Three individuals are suspected of organizing the illegal felling of over 40 trees in the territory of the nature reserve fund (Part 4 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Six episodes of their illegal activities have been identified. Damages exceed 2.5 million UAH.

Chernivtsi Region

• The forest master of the Vashkivtsi Forestry of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" is suspected of embezzling 48 m³ of forest products (Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages amount to 152.6 thousand UAH.

• The director of a private enterprise is suspected of smuggling 329 logs of timber worth about 100 thousand UAH (Part 2 of Article 15, Part 3 of Article 201-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Court Actions

An indictment against 3 individuals for smuggling 100 m³ of timber, document forgery, and money laundering has been sent to court (Part 2 of Article 201-1, Parts 3–4 of Article 358, Part 1 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Damages from activities using forged documents amount to over 2.8 million UAH.

The Office of the Prosecutor General will continue to respond to violations in the field of forestry, ensuring the protection of the environment and the interests of the state.

Pre-trial investigations in the specified criminal proceedings are conducted by the Main Investigative Department of the State Bureau of Investigations and its territorial offices, investigative units of the National Police, the Security Service, and the Bureau of Economic Security in Vinnytsia, Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv regions, based on materials from the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine." Operational support is provided by the Criminal Investigation Department and the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police, as well as regional offices of the Security Service.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.