Illegal water extraction worth 120 million hryvnias discovered in Mykolaiv region

In Mykolaiv Oblast, the prosecutor’s office has uncovered a large-scale scheme for illegal groundwater extraction, resulting in losses to the state of more than 120 million hryvnias.

The Prosecutor General’s Office reports on an investigation into this case. According to the investigation, the director of one of the companies in the Bashtansky district and his accomplice were engaged in groundwater extraction from January 2024 to September 2025 without the necessary permits for the use of subsoil. The obtained water was used for the production, packaging, and sale of drinking water to the population. Such actions are a gross violation of Ukraine’s legislation in the field of subsoil use.

Law enforcement officers conducted authorized searches, during which they seized electric pumps, dozens of units of equipment for the production and packaging of water, more than two thousand containers with finished products—both still and carbonated —as well as marking materials and records with documentation.

Experts estimate the damage caused by illegal mining at over 120 million hryvnias. The issue of choosing a preventive measure for the suspect is currently being resolved. A petition has also been filed with the court to seize the seized evidence.