Under the procedural supervision of the prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Prosecutor General's Office, the head of the Cherkasy Forestry Department «Central Forest Office» of SE «Forests of Ukraine» was notified of suspicion for extortion and obtaining illegal benefits (part 3 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the investigation, in May 2025, an official demanded that subordinate foresters provide him with an illegal benefit every month. Each forester had to independently calculate the amount of illegal benefit, the amount of which had to depend on the volume of actually harvested wood and transfer it to the head of the forestry department, who, in turn, distributed the funds among other participants in the scheme.

During July – August 2025, law enforcement officers documented his receipt of illegal benefits in the total amount of UAH 70,000. During the next transfer of part of the funds from the scheme, the official was caught red-handed.

So far, searches have been conducted at his place of residence, work, vehicles, as well as in the homes of other involved persons. The issue of choosing a preventive measure in the form of detention and seizure of property is being determined.

Pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings is carried out by the investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigation with the operational support of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation in the city of Kyiv.

Prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Prosecutor General’s Office along with law enforcement agencies, continue systematic activity to expose facts of corruption in the forest industry.