Ukraine’s forest chief suspected of illicit enrichment
Photo: State Forestry Agency

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has detained the Director General of the state-owned enterprise Lisy Ukrainy (Forests of Ukraine), which unites around 150 forestry enterprises, on suspicion of illicit enrichment. The news was announced by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.

The enterprise has been headed by Yuriy Bolokhovets since its establishment in 2023.

On Monday, July 21, Bolokhovets was officially served with a notice of suspicion under Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to illicit enrichment.

According to investigators, back in 2021—when Bolokhovets served as head of the State Forestry Agency—he acquired assets worth UAH 10.4 million, which significantly exceeded his declared legal income.

Among these assets is an apartment in Kyiv valued at more than UAH 9 million, which was officially registered under a proxy owner but was allegedly used by Bolokhovets himself.

According to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), the discrepancy between Bolokhovets’ official income and the value of his assets amounts to UAH 7.9 million.

"This is just one episode among dozens of criminal proceedings involving the Lisy Ukrainy enterprise," Kravchenko commented.

Ukraine’s forest chief suspected of illicit enrichment
Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General

In response, the company's press service stated that the investigation is based on assumptions rather than facts, which they claim have been "repeatedly refuted with documented evidence."

"All of Yuriy Bolokhovets' assets are disclosed in his income declarations. The properties leased by his family belong to legitimate owners with verifiable income and were acquired legally. The pressure on Mr. Bolokhovets is the result of his firm stance on transparent timber market mechanisms and his consistent efforts to bring the forestry sector out of the shadows," the statement reads.

  • The detention of Bolokhovets marks the second high-profile case of the day.
  • Earlier in the morning of July 21, it was reported that detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) had conducted large-scale searches in connection with emigrant MP Fedir Khrystenko, who is suspected of being recruited by the FSB and of having exercised significant influence over the Bureau.