In 2022, the SBI uncovered crimes against the environment worth more than UAH 150 million, of which more than UAH 100 million will be reimbursed (INFOGRAPHICS)
Despite the war in Ukraine, the fight against environmental crime remained a priority for the State Bureau of Investigation. In 2022, the SBI officers continued to uncover and investigate crimes committed by dishonest officials and their associates that caused significant damage to the environment and the state budget.
The SBI's work resulted in 77 indictments against 126 people being sent to court.
In 2022, the SBI conducted pre-trial investigations in 641 criminal cases for environmental offences. In addition, in 2022, the SBI filed charges against 108 persons as part of the investigation of environmental crimes.
The amount of damages in the completed criminal cases exceeds UAH 150 million. UAH 29.8 million has already been reimbursed during the pre-trial investigation. In total, the SBI officers have initiated the confiscation of the suspects' property worth UAH 71 million to compensate for the damage.
The SBI employees also documented the amount of illegal benefits in criminal cases involving officials in excess of UAH 740 thousand.
The following cases received special attention:
- The SBI employees completed a pre-trial investigation into illegal logging in the Vinnytsia region, which caused damages of UAH 87 million.
- UAH 39 million in damages: the SBI announces suspicions against forest workers in Volyn region
- The SBI closes investigation into State Fisheries Agency inspector who facilitated illegal fishing of beluga and stellate sturgeon in Odessa region for money
- The SBI uncovers large-scale illegal logging in Zakarpattia region, costing the state UAH 18 million
- The SBI suspects a former high-ranking official of Ukraine's State Agency for the Management of Exclusion Zones of facilitating the illegal felling of trees near Chornobyl for UAH 15.5 million and many other cases.
The State Bureau of Investigation emphasizes that profiteering from state property or state resources, especially in times of war, is a crime that is unjustifiable. And there is a very short period of time between the crime and the official's responsibility.
