Illegal logging in the Zhytomyr region: a court has initiated proceedings to recover nearly 1.8 million UAH in damages from the Pulyn community.

The Economic Court of Zhytomyr Oblast has decided to initiate proceedings in the case of compensation for damages amounting to 1,797,949.87 UAH incurred by the Pulyn Territorial Community due to illegal logging of various tree species.

In the autumn of 2023, responding to a report received on the hotline of the State Environmental Inspection of the Polissya region regarding illegal logging between the settlements of Budiщe and Svekla on the communal lands of the Pulyn Territorial Community in Zhytomyr Oblast, state eco-inspectors surveyed the aforementioned area and established the fact of illegal logging of 222 trees of various species (for more information, read the link).

To identify the individuals responsible for the logging and to take the necessary legal measures, the Inspection sent a corresponding letter to the police department No. 4 of the Zhytomyr District Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine in Zhytomyr Oblast. The individuals who committed the logging were not identified by the police.

Experts from the Polissya District Environmental Inspection calculated the amount of damage caused to the forest by the illegal logging, which totaled 1,797,949 UAH.

If the individuals responsible for the illegal logging are not identified, the local self-government body in the territory where the damaged forest is located will compensate for the environmental harm—in this case, the Pulyn Village Council.

“Since the damage to the state was not voluntarily compensated, the State Environmental Inspection of the Polissya region has filed a lawsuit for its compulsory recovery,” says Yevhen Medvedovskyi, head of the Polissya District Environmental Inspection. “The Polissya eco-inspection continues to develop judicial practice based on the application of Part 2 of Article 107 of the Forest Code of Ukraine regarding recovery in connection with the improper performance of delegated powers by local self-government bodies for damage caused to forests not allocated for use, in cases where those responsible for causing this damage are not identified, which ultimately should lead to the proper fulfillment of delegated powers by local self-government bodies across Ukraine in terms of monitoring the use and protection of natural resources, forest reproduction, and, most importantly, the preservation of Ukraine's forests.”

In October 2024, the Economic Court of Zhytomyr Oblast decided to open proceedings in the case.