SSU systematically exposes corruption in natural resource management.

In Luhansk region, following the SSU investigation, the Commercial Court of Appeal returned to the state a 2 hectares’ recreational land plot worth almost UAH 4 m (USD 150, 700). And in Odesa region, the SSU exposed a corruption scheme organized by a head of the national park guard.

The SSU exposed a scam in Luhansk region.

For several years, with the connivance of officials, an influential businessman has been using an elite recreation complex, illegally built on a recreational land plot, for his own illicit enrichment.

According to the SSU officers in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Kreminna district state administration signed an agreement with a local company several years ago. Under the agreement, the company owned a land plot, located in the recreational area of Kreminna forests, on a leasehold basis.

Despite the fact that according to the law such lands should be used for the rehabilitation and recreation of people, the leaseholder converted it into a closed elite recreation area with guest houses, a swimming pool and outbuildings.

Currently, the long-term lease agreement between the Kreminna district state administration and the said company has been terminated.

The appellate court satisfied a claim of the Luhansk Regional Prosecutor’s Office to vacate the recreational land plot from unauthorized development and return it to the state ownership.

The operation was carried out jointly with the National Police and the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office.

In Odesa region, SSU officers exposed and cracked down on corruption by a head of the state protection department of the Lower Dniester National Nature Park.

The official responsible for preservation and restoration of the reserve's ecosystem took bribes for poaching.

According to the investigation, the perpetrator extorted bribes from subordinate employees. He forced them to collect money from local fishermen for illegal fishing in the reserve. The monthly fee per employee was up to UAH 10, 000 (USD 376). In case of the refusal, he threatened the dismissal.

SSU officers detained the perpetrator having received a UAH 14,000 (USD 527) bribe on a bank card from one of the park's employees. Earlier, it was documented that the official received UAH 8,000 (USD 300) in cash from his subordinate.

The investigative actions are underway to identify all officials involved in the scam.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Odesa region jointly with investigators of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigations in Mykolaiv, under the supervision of the Odesa region Prosecutor's office.