The head of the Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor's Office, Myroslav Patskan, approved a change in suspicion for one of the deputies of the Transcarpathian Regional Council, who organized a scheme for the illegal sale of expensive oak timber. The first suspicion was communicated to him in September 2025. 

During the investigation, evidence was gathered that the regional council deputy, who is the head of the relevant committee of the council, instead of protecting nature, planned and organized the work of a criminal group for the illegal sale of timber. He clearly assigned roles to the participants, coordinated their activities, planned further actions, and negotiated with buyers. In addition, he controlled the entire distribution of the "earnings" among the two other participants in the scheme. 

The co-organizer is the head of the Berehiv Forestry of the "Carpathian Forest Office" branch of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine," who was exposed in June 2025, and by abusing his position, ensured the accumulation of unaccounted timber on the territory of the forestry for its further illegal sale. 

Subsequently, the oak was sold to a company that did not have the appropriate documents for its receipt, and the transportation of the timber within Ukraine was ensured by the head of a private firm. According to the expert's conclusion, the damages exceed 1 million UAH.

All participants in the group are charged with the transportation, storage, and sale of illegally felled trees, committed repeatedly, by an organized group, which caused severe consequences (part 3 of article 28, part 4 of article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The head of the forestry is additionally suspected of abusing his official position, which caused severe consequences (part 2 of article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Prosecutors of the Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor's Office are coordinating the further course of the investigation, which is being conducted by the Territorial Administration of the State Bureau of Investigation located in Lviv, with operational support from the Criminal Investigation Department in the Transcarpathian region and assistance from the Internal Security Department of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine." 

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.