A Ukrainian Company's Scientific Cover for a Five-Year, 105,000-Ton Mineral Heist

Illegal Mineral Extraction in Volyn

According to Главком: Over a five-year period, a company based in Lviv illegally extracted 105,000 tons of minerals from the Volyn region. The operation was concealed under the guise of legitimate scientific research. During this time, the company removed:

• over 56 tons of aleurolite;
• over 34 tons of argillite;
• more than 14 tons of sandstone.

This illicit activity caused state losses exceeding 102 million hryvnias. The company's director has been formally notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 240 of Ukraine's Criminal Code.

Investigation and the Prosecutor General's Response

Investigators conducted five searches across the Volyn, Lviv, and Kyiv regions, seizing specialized equipment, cash, and evidence used to legalize the resources. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated this case is part of a systemic problem, citing other uncovered schemes where illegal mining was disguised as research, including:

• a deposit development on the Cheremosh River in Ivano-Frankivsk region, masked as a study of sand-gravel mixtures;
• the industrial-scale extraction of amber in Rivne region, also conducted under the cover of scientific work.

"Article 26 of Ukraine's Subsoil Code effectively prevents the rapid termination of special permits, even when violations are uncovered within criminal proceedings."

Ruslan Kravchenko

The Prosecutor General's Office has repeatedly alerted relevant authorities to this legislative loophole, stressing the urgent need for legal reforms.

This case highlights systemic weaknesses in Ukraine's oversight of its mineral wealth, a sector critical to its economic security. The Donetsk region holds Ukraine's most valuable mineral deposits, with estimated resources worth approximately $3.8 trillion. Meanwhile, in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces are preparing to issue licenses for extracting minerals, including clay, limestone, and sand.

The incident underscores persistent issues in controlling mineral extraction within Ukraine and the pressing need for legislative improvements to prevent similar crimes. Illegal resource exploitation inflicts significant harm on the state and the environment, making effective countermeasures essential. With part of the country under occupation, securing control over mineral resources has become an even more critical matter for national security and economic stability.

The recent uncovering of illegal mineral extraction in Volyn mirrors other systematic issues within Ukraine's resource management. Similarly, authorities in the Kyiv region have dismantled an extensive network of illegal fuel stations, seizing significant quantities of fuel. This highlights a broader trend of illicit operations disguised as legitimate business activities. For more on this ongoing battle against illegal resource exploitation, see the details of the Kyiv illegal fuel station network.