Six Individuals Charged in Medvedchuk Case Over Illegal Use of 220 Hectares of Forest Land

Suspicions Raised in Land Misuse Investigation

According to Главком: Law enforcement has charged six people in connection with the illegal use of over 220 hectares of forest land in the Zakarpattia region, where a vacation home was built for former lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk. According to the state enterprise 'Forests of Ukraine,' the land is valued at 2.5 billion hryvnias. On this site, properties covering roughly 2,800 square meters have been constructed, along with a helipad, a cheese factory, a stable, a restaurant, and a five-car garage.

Those charged include the head of the regional forestry and hunting administration, three heads of district forestry and hunting administrations, a former chairman of the Volovets District State Administration, and a company director. 'Under the procedural supervision of the Zakarpattia Regional Prosecutor's Office, suspicion notices have been served to the head of the regional forestry and hunting administration, three heads of district forestry and hunting administrations, the former chairman of the Volovets District State Administration, and the director of a company involved in a scheme to illegally use over 220 hectares of state forest land,' the prosecutor's office stated.

Illegal Use of the Territory

Part of this land was originally leased to a private company for long-term temporary use back in 2013, ostensibly for building a sports and recreation complex for a football club. However, according to the prosecutor's office, 'the land effectively ended up under the control of the oligarch's family, who used it for their own leisure.'

The fence surrounding the illegally occupied area stretches approximately 8 kilometers, and structures unrelated to forestry operations were built on the site. 'In this way, state forest land was essentially used as a closed private recreational zone,' the prosecutor's office added.

The suspects are charged under the following articles:

• Part 2 of Article 197-1
• Part 2 of Article 364
• Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine

An independent appraisal in December 2024 valued the 'Vedmezha Dibrova' estate at over 493.5 million hryvnias. Since November 2025, the estate has been managed by a private company under the authority of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA). Earlier, 10 hectares of land in the Obukhiv district of Kyiv region were returned to state ownership after being illegally used for over 20 years by companies linked to Medvedchuk.

This case highlights ongoing challenges with illegal land use in Ukraine, particularly in efforts to reclaim state-controlled territories. It also sheds light on potential corruption within the forest management system. Continued investigation and potential court proceedings could significantly impact the fight against illegal land ownership in Ukraine and strengthen anti-corruption measures in this sector.

In a related development, authorities have successfully reclaimed 10 hectares of forest land in the Kyiv region that was also linked to Viktor Medvedchuk. This highlights the ongoing efforts by the Ukrainian government to address illegal land usage and restore state property that has been misappropriated for personal gain.