Large-scale illegal logging discovered in Bukovina: foresters’ negligence caused losses of almost UAH 19 million
Law enforcement officers have charged two foresters of the Chornivtsi Forestry Department, who, according to the investigation, improperly controlled the felling of the forest, which led to serious environmental and financial consequences.
Prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Chernivtsi Region have announced suspicions of two individuals in official negligence, which led to serious consequences (Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The persons involved in the case are employees of the Chornivtsi Forestry Department of the Chernivtsi Forestry Department, which is part of the Podilsky Forest Office branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”. They were responsible for controlling the felling, but, according to the investigation, this supervision was not carried out. As a result, unauthorized felling of trees was carried out in the forest during 2024-2025 without following the established procedures and accounting.
The investigation revealed that from January to September 2025, one of the suspects – a 59-year-old forest foreman – illegally destroyed 60 trees of various species.
In addition, during official fellings from July 2024 to March 2025, another 63 trees were cut down that were not included in the allocation plan and were not properly marked.
In total, the number of illegally destroyed trees exceeds 120, and the environmental damage is estimated at more than 12.3 million hryvnias.
The second suspect – a 20-year-old forest foreman – was responsible for controlling several blocks of the same forestry. According to law enforcement, he also did not exercise proper control over forest plantations and fellings.
In particular, from March to October 2025, he illegally destroyed 36 trees during a through felling that was not provided for in the felling documents.
The environmental damage from the actions of this master was estimated at more than 6.6 million hryvnias.
The total amount of damage caused by illegal felling is approaching 19 million hryvnias.
The suspects face imprisonment for a term of two to five years in accordance with the law.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the SBU in the Chernivtsi region based on materials from the Department of Internal Economic Security of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
In the Volyn region, the court will consider the case of a forester from the Tsuman Forestry Department, who is suspected of improperly fulfilling his duties to control the use of forest resources, which led to significant illegal felling of trees, including on the territory of the reserve fund.
