In the Kherson region, a scheme of illegal logging was uncovered that was disguised as the consequences of shelling. According to the investigation, the state suffered damages of 7.9 million hryvnias.
This was reported on the website of the State Bureau of Investigation.
It concerns one of the forestry and hunting enterprises that is part of the SE “Forests of Ukraine”. According to the investigation, its director together with a forester and an employee of the interregional forestry management organized the logging, bypassing environmental rules.
To avoid undergoing the mandatory environmental impact assessment, they split large tracts of forest into smaller ones. This way they obtained permits without the required inspections.
They used fires that occurred after Russian shelling as a formal reason. Under the pretext of “sanitary works” in the Velykooleksandrivske forestry, more than 2,000 trees were cut down.
The head of the enterprise and the forester have already been notified of suspicion. They are accused of illegal logging and exceeding official powers. The management employee is suspected of complicity.
The suspects face up to 10 years in prison.
