Kyiv Wins Back Land in Zhukiv Island Nature Reserve After Supreme Court Ruling

Supreme Court Orders Return of Land to Kyiv

According to Главком: Ukraine's Supreme Court has definitively ruled that a nearly 0.1-hectare plot in the Holosiivskyi district must be returned to the people of Kyiv. The land, partially located within the Dnipro River bay and the Zhukiv Island landscape reserve, was illegally privatized in 2009 and later resold multiple times, ultimately ending up in the hands of a Russian citizen. The court backed the prosecutor's office, confirming that the local authorities acted lawfully in seeking its return.

Background and Significance of the Decision

In 2009, the Kyiv City Council originally transferred the plot to a private individual for residential construction. However, the protected area changed hands several times before being acquired by a foreign national. The specialized environmental prosecutor's office proved that the site has been part of the Zhukiv Island reserve since 1999, placing it under Ukraine's water and nature protection fund.

All three levels of courts agreed with the environmental prosecutor's demand to return the land to the territorial community. The Supreme Court fully validated the city's claims, while the prosecutor's office also called on the Kyiv City Council and its executive bodies to officially mark the reserve's boundaries, install signage, and register the data in the State Land Cadastre. This ruling is a significant step for environmental protection and upholding the rule of law in natural resource management.

This Supreme Court decision underscores the importance of safeguarding natural resources and enforcing environmental legislation in Ukraine.

Returning the land to Kyiv's community marks a major move toward restoring legal order and protecting conservation areas, potentially setting a precedent for similar cases across the country. It highlights the growing responsibility of local authorities to manage natural resources, especially amid climate change and increasing environmental challenges.

The recent Supreme Court ruling highlights ongoing efforts to restore and protect Kyiv's natural areas. In a similar context, authorities have also acted decisively by removing illegal structures from a half-hectare plot in Partisan Glory Park, reinforcing the city's commitment to environmental preservation and lawful management of public spaces.