“Forests of Ukraine” Have Become a “Fat Wild Boar” for Zelensky’s Circle, - Nikolov

“Forests of Ukraine” Have Become a “Fat Wild Boar” for Zelensky’s Circle, - Nikolov

At the moment the fattest place for enrichment within the government sector appears to be the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.”

In recent years it was led by Yuriy Bolokhovets (biography), and this simple chart shows what a fat wild boar he has fattened up. He increased the enterprise’s net income by a third, but instead of “tiring” raised tax payments to some of the largest in the country – 16 billion hryvnias last year. And this year it was planned to increase them further; the first half of the year was supposed to end already with 10 billion in taxes.

But in April someone reached Zelensky, and the president personally and publicly stated that the leadership at “Forests of Ukraine” needed to be changed. Prime Minister Svyrydenko and her minister of economy and agribusiness Sobolev clucked and fussed, but what can you do when that “someone” is so powerful that they can decide matters in Zelensky’s own head, and the task was carried out.

The new head became a certain industry figure Ihor Zubovych (left in the photo).

Some consider him a protégé of David Arakhamia, because he once served as head of the State Environmental Inspection of the Southwestern District (covering Odesa and Arakhamia’s native Mykolaiv regions). And in 2025 someone elevated him to the position of deputy minister of economy.

But there are sources who believe that now a redistribution of spheres of influence among different groups is taking place.

Next to Zubovych in the photo is his official advisor Oleh Salo. The new generation does not remember this figure, while the “old-timers” should recall him (biography). Oleh Salo is a former police major general; the peak of his career fell during Yanukovych’s time. In 2012 he was the first deputy head of the Public Security Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Under Yanukovych Salo even had a brief stint acting as a kind of governor in Lviv, but then he was supposed to be lustrated and somehow remained in the shadows for a long time. But when this spring “someone” pumped Zelensky up about transferring “Forests of Ukraine,” Salo came into the light and in June officially took the position of advisor on coordination and control matters of the Main Activity Support Unit, which is part of the Coordination Activities Department of the apparatus of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.” Which gives cause to wonder who might be implicated in the future carving up of a state enterprise that pays billions to the budget in taxes.

The new leadership has already cut old top management salaries by 15%. Officially and legally it’s a long process to fire them, so the new broom is hinting who it is not pleased with.

Also relevant is agrarian minister Taras Vysotskyi. “Forests of Ukraine” is supposedly being transferred to his jurisdiction, giving him a chance to settle a lot of issues before his trial. Recently NABU and SAP transferred to court a case about embezzlement involving food supplies at the start of the war. According to the investigation, Vysotskyi then, as first deputy minister of economy and agribusiness, authorized purchases of food abroad at twice the inflated price. But for Zelensky this is not a problem, and when Svyrydenko’s government was toppled Vysotskyi was not harmed; he became minister of agribusiness over the fat forest boar.

Gossip says that soon people connected to some other “Servants of the People” will begin to park themselves at “Forests,” we’ll see who surfaces. For now a declaration of income has been published for Volodymyr Hrytsiuk, a candidate for the position of director of the Poliskyi Forest Office branch of “Forests of Ukraine.” The social elevator gave him a rise from the nature park “Pushcha Radziwil.” And he now has plenty of chances to replace his old declared “Lexus LX 570” with something new.

Of course, one can view this as inevitable. Zelensky can’t pay everyone in envelopes, cursed NABU is pressuring salaried employees, and someone has to earn and turn in cash for envelopes. And Versace underwear won’t buy itself. And they are needed by many people who form the backbone of the corrupt regime. So the bad boyars need to be thrown fatty bones to gnaw on so they don’t bark at the hand that feeds them.

We will observe the feast of embezzlement online. Because at “Forests of Ukraine” a lot of money can be stolen just on the forest itself. Therefore, one way or another we must see a drop in the state enterprise’s official income. And with it – a drop in taxes to the state budget. Which means we will be able to buy less weapons with our money so as not to be occupied. Meanwhile someone will have a new satchel and a “Mercedes.” And here it will be impossible to pretend that it happened by accident. Unpaid sums in especially large amounts after Zelensky’s public statement that he did not like how the previous head worked – that is a marker of change.

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“Forests of Ukraine” Have Become a “Fat Wild Boar” for Zelensky’s Circle, - Nikolov

Author: Yuriy Nikolov, Our Money