Criminal Case Opened After Ukraine's ARMA Sells Protected Forest for a Pittance

Protected Recreational Forest Sold on Borzhava Mountain Pasture

According to ХВИЛЯ: The Asset Recovery and Management Agency of Ukraine (ARMA) has sold 460 hectares of recreational forest on the Borzhava mountain pasture in the Zakarpattia region to entities linked to Serhiy Lyovochkin. The auction took place on January 8, with the land selling for 2,000 hryvnias per 0.1 hectare (a 'sotka'). The Office of the Prosecutor General has already initiated criminal proceedings regarding the actions of the agency's officials.

The Borzhava pasture where the sale occurred is a region protected by the European Union's Bern Convention and is part of the Emerald Network of Europe. Expert estimates place the real market value of this asset at approximately 1.5 billion hryvnias. As a result of the sale, the state received only 89 million hryvnias. This sale is part of a broader pattern of concerns regarding the management of state-owned natural resources in Ukraine.

Expert Commentary

“ARMA sold 460 hectares at auction. Just think about it: 460 hectares of recreational forest on the Borzhava pasture in Zakarpattia to Serhiy Lyovochkin and his affiliated structures for 2,000 hryvnias per 0.1 hectare.”

Andriy Potiomkin, Environmental Protection Expert

Potiomkin noted that he had published an article before the auction warning of a potential crime involving the sale of land at a grossly undervalued price: “I published an article fully detailing that a crime was being prepared, that land would be sold at a reduced price. The auction was on January 8. What I wrote would happen-the criminal sale and everything else-is exactly what occurred.” This case has caused outrage among experts and the public, highlighting the critical importance of preserving natural resources and adhering to legal norms in their disposal.

The sale of 460 hectares of forest on the Borzhava pasture has become the subject of public debate and legal investigation, as it concerns not only financial aspects but also ecological security. ARMA's actions have raised serious doubts about the transparency and legality of the auction, particularly given the international protected status of the territory. The Prosecutor General's response underscores the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences for the officials involved in this deal.