In the Vinnytsia region, foresters were caught illegally logging trees worth more than ₴5.5 million

In the Vinnytsia region, four officials from one of the forest districts under the Haisyn Forest Administration are suspected of illegally logging valuable tree species, causing more than 5.5 million hryvnias in losses to the state. According to the investigation, two forest rangers and two foremen acted as an organized group and received over 3.1 million hryvnias in illicit gains.

According to the investigation, between 2024 and 2025, four employees of the forestry unit of the “Central Forest Office” Branch of the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” organized the illegal harvesting of timber for the purpose of obtaining illicit gains.

Investigators determined that the suspects prepared documents authorizing the removal of trees but intentionally understated the number of trees, their diameters, and their suitability categories in those documents.

In reality, they cut down more trees than was indicated in the documents. The group members sold the unaccounted-for timber illegally, receiving money for it.

According to preliminary findings of the investigation, more than 100 trees of valuable species—oak, hornbeam, and ash—were illegally cut down in this manner.

As a result of these unlawful actions, the state suffered losses totaling more than 5.5 million hryvnias. At the same time, according to the prosecutor’s office, the group members received more than 3.1 million hryvnias in illicit gains.

The suspects’ actions were classified under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Part 3 of Article 28, Parts 1 and 2 of Article 364—abuse of official position committed by an organized group;
• Part 1 of Article 366—the drafting and issuance by a public official of knowingly false official documents, and the inclusion of inaccurate information therein;
• Part 3 of Article 28 and Part 4 of Article 246—illegal logging of trees resulting in serious consequences, committed by an organized group.

The court imposed a pretrial detention measure on all four suspects, with the possibility of bail. For two of them, bail was set at 998,000 UAH each; for the other two, 266,000 UAH each.

The pretrial investigation is being conducted by investigators from the Investigative Directorate of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia Oblast. Operational support is provided by the Strategic Investigations Directorate in Vinnytsia Oblast, with the assistance of the Department of Economic and Internal Security of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.”

At the same time, in accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, all suspects are presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.

This was reported by the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor’s Office.