The SBI has completed an investigation into illegal coal mining in Donetsk region worth over 5 billion UAH

The employees of the State Bureau of Investigation have completed an investigation into members of a criminal organization who were illegally mining coal. The losses to the state amounted to over 5 billion UAH.

Currently, the materials are available for review by the defendants and their defense attorneys.

In November 2024, the employees of the State Bureau of Investigation stopped illegal coal mining in the area adjacent to the Svyato-Pokrovskaya mine in the village of Kuritsyne, Kramatorsk district, Donetsk region.

A private company obtained a license for geological exploration and experimental industrial development of a coal deposit in 2021 but never began the relevant work. A group of individuals, who had effectively formed a criminal organization, took advantage of this.

In addition to the initiator, it consisted of eight individuals who were involved in the technical support of coal mining, security of the territory, control of the miners' work, accounting, and sale of illegally mined coal.

Without any permits, they mined coal at a depth of about 80 meters. To do this, they even converted an old, disused ventilation shaft at the Svyato-Pokrovskaya mine into a shaft for miners to descend underground.

The organizer of the illegal business also made an agreement with the head of the local territorial community, who helped to seize the land plot on which they mined coal by forging documents regarding its transfer for lease to a company controlled by the organizer. In addition, the head of the local community covered up the illegal activities on the seized land plot.

The criminal organization operated from December 2021 to November 2024, thereafter it was exposed by the SBI employees.

During this period, some of the members of this criminal organization legalized more than 80,000 tons of illegally mined coal by selling it to individuals and private entities.

The defendants are charged with crimes under Article 255 (criminal organization), Article 240 (illegal coal mining), Article 206 (obstruction of lawful economic activity), Article 209 (legalization of property), and Article 358 (forgery of documents and their use) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The articles provide for punishment of up to 12 years of imprisonment.

The procedural guidance is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General.