In Ternopil region, an entrepreneur in collusion with an employee of the branch of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" organized the sale of illegally harvested firewood. The forester determined the logging sites and controlled the harvesting, while the entrepreneur sold the timber to local residents.

Throughout 2025, under their leadership, hired workers, who were unaware of the illegality of the logging, cut down over 600 trees. The environment was harmed to the tune of over 4 million UAH.

Prosecutors in Ternopil have informed them of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — illegal logging of trees in forests, transportation, storage, and sale of illegally cut trees, committed repeatedly, by prior conspiracy of a group of individuals, which caused severe consequences.

The investigation is being conducted by the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Ternopil region, with operational support from the employees of the Criminal Investigation Department in Ternopil region and the Security Service of Ukraine in Ternopil region, with the participation of specialists from the Department of 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 guilty verdict of the court.