Bukovina officials and their associates who caused over 100 million hryvnias worth of losses to the state will be put on trial

The SBI employees have completed a pre-trial investigation of the Bukovina officials and their associates who illegally logged trees, mined a soil and gravel mixture, and embezzled budget funds. The organized group has caused damage to the environment of the country as well as to the state budget of more than 100 million hryvnias.

The indictment was sent to the court.

The group included 6 members, including the former head of the National Natural Park, the heads of 2 private companies, and civilians - close relatives of the officials.

The organizer of the group was the head of the National Park, who used his official position to execute illegal documents and to provide a lease of special equipment.

Throughout 2013 - 2018, the group members carried out numerous machinations:

 - illegally mined 151 thousand cubic meters of soil and gravel mixture from the Cheremosh and Norinka rivers in the Vizhnitsky district for a total amount of over 100 million UAH;

- illegally logged trees for 4.5 million UAH, as well as illegally sold timber products, and seized the profit of 1.2 million UAH.

The investigation also revealed the fact of misappropriation of budgetary funds to the total amount of over 400 thousand UAH, which were assigned for the construction of the property of the natural reserve fund.

Members of the organized group were notified of suspicion during the 2020 - 2021 years.

They are charged under various articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including misappropriation, embezzlement or taking possession of property by malversation, abuse of power or authority, service failures, illegal extraction of matural resources, illegal occupation of water fund lands on a particularly large scale, legalization (withdrawal) of property obtained by illegal means, service dishonesty, use of falsified documents, committed as a part of an organized group (Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 191 (Part 5); Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 364 (Part 2);  Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 240 (Part 2, 3); Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 366 (Part 1); Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 358 (Part 4); Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 239-2 (Part 2);  Art. 209 (Part 3); Art. 28 (Part 3), Art. 364-1 (Part 2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The members of the group may face punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to 12 years.

The Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office provides procedural guidance in the pretrial investigation.