In Transcarpathia, an organized criminal group was exposed, which carried out illegal deforestation, causing an environment for more than UAH 12 million. According to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), the illegal scheme operated in the Brusturian forestry. The head of the forestry, together with the subordinates of the forest and the leading engineer, falsified documents, which allowed the felling of trees that did not fall under any legal felling.
According to the current standards, thinning felling is allowed only for trees under 40 years and can be carried out every 5-10 years. However, the officials violated these rules, having prepared four parts of the forest under the felling, which were to remain intact. As a result of criminal acts, 1,369 trees were cut down, including valuable rocks - spruce and beech.
The scheme worked for a simple but effective scheme. The head of the forestry gave illegal orders, the masters of the forest carried out a fictitious removal of trees, and the leading engineer presented logging tickets, which allowed felling without legal grounds. According to the expertise, their actions have caused the natural environment of more than UAH 12 million.
All participants of the criminal scheme have already been reported suspicion under Part 4 of Art. 246 (illegal deforestation) and Part 3 of Art. 365 (excess of official powers, which caused grave consequences) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. If their guilt is proved in court, they are threatened with up to 10 years in prison.
This case emphasizes systemic problems in the field of forestry control in Ukraine. Illegal felling continues to cause significant damage to the environment, and corruption schemes in the forest industry require the rigid response of law enforcement.
