The National Police of Ukraine has exposed a large-scale scheme involving the illegal alienation of state forest land near the Bukovel ski resort in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. State authorities have already successfully recovered over 3.5 hectares of forest land valued at approximately 14 million UAH. More than 300 additional land plots remain under seizure as part of the ongoing pretrial investigation.
According to investigators, an organized criminal group attempted to illegally siphon nearly 20 hectares of state forest property. To execute the scheme, the perpetrators used forged state deeds, falsified documentation, and entered fraudulent records into official registries. Portions of these plots had already seen initial construction, including hotel complexes.
Law enforcement officers carried out an extensive investigation to document the widespread operation:
Conducted over 150 searches and more than 100 covert investigative actions.
Interrogated over 250 witnesses and potential co-conspirators.
Documented more than 100 distinct episodes of criminal activity.
Official notices of suspicion have been served to six key suspects in the case. Furthermore, courts have already handed down guilty verdicts to seven «nominal owners» who held the land on paper.
«This was not an isolated incident, but an organized effort targeting dozens of hectares of state land near the country’s premier tourist cluster. Investigators are identifying all involved parties—from executors to potential organizers and facilitators,» law enforcement records state.
As part of the investigation, authorities are scrutinizing officials responsible for safeguarding state forest assets. In particular, investigators are probing potential ties between the scheme and Mr. Petrenko, Deputy Head of the Carpathian Office of the state enterprise «Forests of Ukraine.»
Law enforcement is currently determining whether a scheme of this magnitude could have operated without the knowledge or implicit endorsement of senior regional leadership. The pretrial investigation remains active.