According to the investigation materials, during the period of 2023-2024, nearly 3,400 trees of various species were illegally cut down in the territory of the Lazeshchyn forestry, which is a branch of the "Yasinyansky Forest and Hunting Economy" of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine." The total amount of environmental damage is nearly 55.8 million hryvnias, as confirmed by the expert conclusion.

It has been established that this was caused by the official's negligence at the Lazeshchyn forestry. His actions have been classified as official negligence that resulted in severe consequences (part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Currently, prosecutors from the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor's Office have submitted a motion to the court for the selection of a preventive measure against him.

The exposure of the illegal activity was carried out by the Strategic Investigations Department in the Transcarpathian region of the National Police of Ukraine in cooperation with investigators from the territorial office of the State Bureau of Investigations.

We remind you that in October 2024, law enforcement officers uncovered an organized group that was conducting large-scale illegal logging in one of the areas within the Yasinyanska community of the Rakhiv district. The timber was delivered to sawmills and prepared for sale across Ukraine. Additionally, it was sold on-site for cash, without any confirming documents regarding its origin. The indictment against the members of the organized group is currently under consideration in the Rakhiv District Court.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered 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.