Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating a large-scale corruption scheme involving unauthorized interference in the Unified State Electronic Timber Accounting System. Within criminal proceeding No. 42024000000000335, investigators are verifying the involvement of regional forestry officials in manipulating documentation to conceal actual logging volumes and legalize illegally harvested timber.
According to case files, wrongdoers allegedly abused their official positions to introduce forged data into the specialized electronic database. Officials reportedly ordered and executed adjustments to key raw material characteristics within automated registries.
Specifically, operations involved altering identification tag data, timber grades, overall volume, and final pricing. Additionally, information in electronic waybills was corrected, enabling unhindered transportation of unaccounted forest products to processing or sale points. Preliminary investigative estimates suggest that the organizers of this illegal scheme could have generated over 10 million hryvnias in illicit profits.
As part of the ongoing inquiry, law enforcement is examining the specific role of each participant within the criminal chain. Whistleblowers have pointed to Viktor Sahnyuk as a potential key figure, whose activities in the forestry sector have long drawn public and media scrutiny.
However, official court rulings currently anonymize suspects’ names to preserve investigative secrecy. This means that each potential participant’s exact procedural role must be formally confirmed through separate investigative documents and evidence currently gathered by prosecutors.
Analyzing the background of the suspected organizers, investigators are focusing on an extensive web of personnel ties within the forestry sector. Notably, Viktor Sahnyuk’s professional path closely intersects with other prominent state enterprise managers.
Previously in Volyn, he served as the first deputy to Oleksandr Kvatyrko. Following structural reforms and the establishment of the State Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine,» Sahnyuk initially headed the Capital Forest Office and later transitioned to lead the «Forest Reproductive Resources» branch. These personnel rotations occurred during periods when top state enterprise leadership was shaped by figures such as Ihor Lytsur and Yuriy Bolokhovets, forming an interconnected managerial vertical.
Financial metrics and asset holdings of forestry officials have drawn significant public attention. According to his official 2025 asset declaration, Viktor Sahnyuk reported a salary of approximately 9.2 million hryvnias, far exceeding average state service earnings for comparable positions.
At the same time, Sahnyuk no longer holds executive positions within the structures of the State Enterprise «Forests of Ukraine.» Over the course of 2025, he officially stepped down as director of the «Forest Reproductive Resources» branch. Industry experts and civic activists continue to monitor the investigation closely, anticipating a transparent judicial process and accountability for all involved parties.