The Main Forest Thief of Ukraine: A State Official Impunity Seized Over 80 Hectares

The Main Forest Thief of Ukraine: A State Official Impunity Seized Over 80 Hectares

How did Yurii Bolokhovets, general director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” establish a private homestead covering more than 80 ha?

For years a private estate with lakes, a stable, and vacation houses belonging to the director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” Yurii Bolokhovets, and his business partner Mykhailo Reva has been expanding in the forests of the Chernihiv region. The estate is not registered to either of them, however; parcels are recorded in the names of relatives and friends, NGL.media reports.

More than 90% of the estate’s territory is simply seized state and communal forest land, surrounded by a continuous fence. To legalize the seizure of part of the forest, the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration even allowed a children’s camp to be located there (spoiler – there isn’t one). The heads of the forestry enterprises apparently see nothing suspicious about the forests having turned into part of a private estate of over 80 hectares – probably because the estate is connected to the country’s chief forester.

Last year law enforcement did notice the problem and started an investigation, but it seems they quickly lost interest. The story attracted media attention, and journalists decided to tell it based not only on investigators’ findings but also on what they saw with their own eyes.

“You’re probably going to the homestead, right?… That was built by Yura Bolokhovets; he’s two years older than me. There used to be old houses, they’ve built new ones, they brought in deer… Yura works in Kyiv, he doesn’t live here. People come here on weekends in fancy cars…,” a resident of the village of Ivanhorod in Chernihiv region says, pointing toward the forest on the village’s edge. It is here that relatives and friends of the director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” Yurii Bolokhovets, have been developing property in recent years.

General Director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Yurii Bolokhovets (photo Facebook)

Locals still affectionately call this area the “khutir” (homestead). It used to be the Derkachiv khutir, but today it is effectively the outskirts of Ivanhorod, the home village of Yurii Bolokhovets himself, his wife, and his family’s business partners.

We learned about the forest seizure in Ivanhorod a few months ago when some Telegram channels and low-quality websites began publishing compromising materials about the head of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.” We filtered out baseless and emotional accusations and verified the facts related to Yurii Bolokhovets and people close to him.

Uninvited guests. A visit to the “khutir” in Ivanhorod

The village of Ivanhorod is located in the southeastern part of Chernihiv region, 60 km from Nizhyn. My companion and I drove there in early December on a gray, snowless day, covering the last 30 km over total bad roads and through seemingly deserted villages. The route led to the edge of Ivanhorod, where the “khutir” is located; beyond it are only forests. On the way we passed several SUVs with Kyiv plates heading the other way.

The main gates of the Ivanhorod “khutir,” which is fenced with mesh (photo NGL.media)

After parking the car near the homestead gates, we decided to walk along the mesh fence surrounding the territory to see how far it extended into the forest. By then we already knew that behind the fence lay a huge residential or recreational complex, the land of which is partially privatized, partially leased, and a significant part (which interested us) is state and communal forest land.

Having walked a sizable distance, we saw that the fence covered much more forest territory than we expected – far more. Realizing we wouldn’t have time to circle the entire estate before dark, we decided to turn back. On the way back we noticed a man on horseback watching us from behind the pines. In such a remote area strangers probably don’t appear often, so vigilance is understandable. Dog howling from the homestead accompanied us the whole time, and at one point a man in a forester’s uniform pulled up in a Renault Duster and asked if he could help. Thanks, but not today.

Behind the fence surrounding the “khutir” you can see dense forest and houses (photo NGL.media)

Earlier, in warmer weather, colleagues from Suspilne.Chernihiv kindly agreed to film the complex. They managed to enter the estate, where there are houses, lakes, a stable, and enclosures with animals including deer. The territory is vast, although the houses show signs of age and are not new.

“This isn’t a hotel, what are you talking about, people live here… We can’t tell you anything else,” a homestead employee replied to a journalist’s question about who lives or vacations there. Ultimately, that information was obtained by more official means.

A man on a scooter followed Suspilne’s film crew from Ivanhorod, and a car that drove out of the homestead carefully escorted the journalists. Uninvited guests are not welcome here.

Residents of the “khutir”: mother, family friends, and business partners of Yurii Bolokhovets

Chernihiv region is one of Ukraine’s most forested regions; forests occupy 23% of the oblast’s territory. It is impressive when you travel a road through a mixed pine-birch forest. The indescribable beauty explains why people chose to build here despite the lack of infrastructure. Perhaps because the village is hard to access, no one noticed what was happening here for years.

However, in November of 2023 the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) opened a criminal proceeding under four articles related to land seizure and illegal enrichment. DBR investigators suspected that Yurii Bolokhovets was receiving unofficial income that he invested in real estate, including in his native village of Ivanhorod. According to tax office data, over four years Bolokhovets’ family acquired assets worth 22,8 million UAH while declaring official income of 10,4 million UAH.

The criminal case mentions the Ivanhorod “khutir,” which we and DBR investigators visited. The complex is fenced by a continuous barrier, consists of 14 privatized land plots, and seizes part of the communal forest as well as an area used by the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” headed by Bolokhovets.

According to the state real estate register, the privatized plots within the complex are divided among six people. One large plot of 4 hectares is communal but has been leased since 2012 by 63-year-old Hanna Bolokhovets, a former teacher and the mother of the director of “Forests of Ukraine.” The designated purpose of this parcel is for farming.

An artificial pond on that parcel, according to Google Earth Pro data, was also dug in 2012. Hanna Bolokhovets signed the lease agreement in the Ivanhorod village council, which after decentralization reform was liquidated and the village joined the Ichnia territorial community. As often happens during liquidation of a village council, the lease agreement with Hanna Bolokhovets disappeared: neither the city nor the district councils could provide it upon request.

The pond on Hanna Bolokhovets’ parcel was dug in 2012 (screenshot from Google Earth Pro)

In addition to the large leased plot, Hanna Bolokhovets owns two more plots on the homestead totaling 1,1 ha, and a residential house. The remaining plots totaling about 3 ha belong to five other people: 30-year-old Andrii Reva, 86-year-old Hanna Reva, 32-year-old Oleksandra Zubko, 39-year-old Meri Piroian, and 37-year-old Vasyl Perkhun. All these plots were privatized before 2021.

While preparing this piece, journalists were contacted by Andrii Reva’s father, 70-year-old Mykhailo Reva—a native of Ivanhorod and an entrepreneur currently active in the energy sector. In 2008 Mykhailo Reva and then 26-year-old forester of the communal forestry enterprise “IchniaRayAgroLisnytstvo,” Yurii Bolokhovets, founded the hunting and fishing enterprise “Yeher,” which uses 23 thousand hectares of hunting grounds in Chernihiv region.

During a conversation with the journalist, Reva senior claimed that the entire Ivanhorod territory in question is actually his personal “khutir.” He asked to be left alone and, anticipating questions, declared that Yurii Bolokhovets has nothing to do with the territory.

Mykhailo Reva (photo “Chas Chernihivskyi”)

“If you’re Ukrainian and work for Ukraine, I’d ask you to pay more attention to the people who stayed here, who are doing things and who suffer because of your questions… You’re writing something now, you’re discouraging people,” Mykhailo Reva complained emotionally. “You keep harassing me about Bolokhovets. I’ve said ten times—I have nothing to do with him… It hurts me when people, during the war, harass Ukrainians at others’ expense. This is a tragedy.”

Mykhailo Reva’s claim that he has no ties to the current head of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” is clearly disingenuous. The two families are connected not only by common origin and proximity but also by business. For example, Andrii Reva, 30-year-old son of Mykhailo Reva, has for more than 10 years owned the farm “Ivanhorodske” together with Hanna Bolokhovets, the mother of the director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.”

And with Liudmyla Bolokhovets, Yurii Bolokhovets’ wife, Reva junior co-owns the LLC “Ivanhorodske,” which is engaged in agriculture. These two like-named enterprises own or lease more than 1700 ha of land in and around Ivanhorod. Often the nearest relatives of Yurii Bolokhovets—his mother (Hanna Bolokhovets), father (Vitalii Bolokhovets), aunt (Liudmyla Bolokhovets), and wife (Liudmyla Bolokhovets)—lease their land to them.

Land plots of LLC “Ivanhorodske” and the farm “Ivanhorodske” (NGL.media based on cadastral data)

According to local media, the homestead’s economic section also houses part of the hunting enterprise “Yeher,” including enclosures with hunting dogs. This enterprise is officially owned by Mykhailo and Andrii Reva and businessman Artur Ananyan, originally from Donetsk, who in 2017 acquired Bolokhovets’ share, and the following year his wife, makeup artist Meri Piroian, became owner of a plot on the homestead of 0,16 ha.

In a media conversation Artur Ananyan initially insisted that his wife did not own land in Ivanhorod: “I know everything that belongs to my wife. She doesn’t have such a plot. Maybe someone misled you,” he said. But after 20 minutes Ananyan called back and mentioned the Ivanhorod land.

“I bought that plot in 2018, I remember. I bought it to live there. But now we don’t live there because the war started and we moved elsewhere,” he explained. According to Ananyan, at the time of purchase there was an agreement among different landowners to build houses together and live on a closed territory.

Another plot on the homestead of 0,4 ha belongs to 32-year-old Oleksandra Zubko, daughter of Kyiv city council deputy and former MP Yurii Zubko. Until recently Oleksandra Zubko owned LLC “Ankor Trade,” which now belongs to Andrii Reva. Zubko is currently co-owner of several construction companies and, founded in June of 2023, LLC “Cora Bioenergy,” which manufactures wood products.

Oleksandra Zubko refused to speak with the journalist, asking questions be sent by SMS. She briefly replied that the land she purchased in Ivanhorod is used “in accordance with current legislation”—whatever that may mean.

Another owner of a 0,4548 ha plot on the homestead is 37-year-old Vasyl Perkhun from Kyiv region. He previously worked at the forestry enterprise in Bila Tserkva and now, he says, grows coniferous trees.

“My father-in-law was from there, from Ivanhorod. I grow coniferous plants and do landscaping, and I bought this plot for future prospects—to establish a nursery there, but because of the war I haven’t done anything yet,” Vasyl Perkhun told us.

According to Perkhun, he occasionally visits Ivanhorod, where he often sees Mykhailo Reva and less often Yurii Bolokhovets in person.

“They started construction there, but now it’s quiet because of the situation in the country—you understand,” Vasyl Perkhun said when asked how the homestead is used now.

Gentle legalization

In July of 2021, 31-year-old Hanna Likarenko, cousin of Andrii Reva and daughter of former head of the Ichnia village council Oleksandr Likarenko, registered LLC “Children’s Sports-Educational Club ‘Sparta’.” Two years later the company asked the Chernihiv Regional Council to allocate part of the communal forest in Ivanhorod for the children’s club’s needs. The request concerned 2,5 ha of forest managed by the communal enterprise “IchniaRayAgroLisnytstvo” – according to investigators, Bolokhovets’ and Reva’s “khutir” had already seized this plot before the regional council decision. The DBR believes the attempt to obtain permission to use forest land was actually an attempt to legalize the forest seizure. It’s hard to disagree.

In 27 September 2023 deputies of the Chernihiv Regional Council approved allocating 2,5 ha of forest to use by “DSOK ‘Sparta’.” For some reason “Sparta” did not sign a contract with the communal forestry enterprise. Instead, in May of 2023 the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration issued an order allocating 2,5 ha to “Sparta” on the territory of the Nizhyn forestry enterprise, which reports to the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.” As a result, the contract for use of this forest was signed.

The map shows in yellow the approximate area of state forest allocated for use by “DSOK ‘Sparta’.” This territory falls within the private homestead (photo based on Deep Green Ukraine project data)

The owner of “DSOK ‘Sparta,’” Hanna Likarenko, wrote that she does not use the allocated forest plot. “We haven’t gotten around to that plot yet. There isn’t anything there… We don’t plan capital construction, don’t worry. A volleyball court. A ping-pong table. At most something to store equipment. It’s a summer children’s camp. Next year we’ll invite you if we manage to do something. Better to see it with your own eyes,” Hanna Likarenko said.

DBR investigators believe that the leadership of both the communal and the state forestry enterprises deliberately ignore violations and facilitate legalization of the forest seizure. The transfer of the plot to “Sparta” looks like an attempt to legalize the illegal occupation of the forest.

The state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” said it had not recorded any seizure of forests under its enterprises in Ivanhorod, while the management of the communal forestry enterprise “IchniaRayAgroLisnytstvo” insists it does not carry out inspections because it does not have the “authority of a law enforcement agency.”

“I think this: there are controlling bodies, there’s the prosecutor’s office, let them take it and handle it. Do I need this?” responded the director of “IchniaRayAgroLisnytstvo,” Anatolii Bobro, when asked about the forest seizure.

General Director of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” Yurii Bolokhovets refused to speak in person with the journalist but agreed to answer in writing.

“I know nothing about a criminal proceeding regarding the seizure of land plots that are used by ‘IchniaRayAgroLisnytstvo’ and the state enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine.’ Representatives of law enforcement have not contacted me or my family about this,” Bolokhovets said, ignoring most of the media’s questions.

41-year-old Yurii Bolokhovets has led the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” since its creation in autumn of 2022. Prior to that he worked his whole conscious life in forestry: from being a forester in his native village Ivanhorod to heading the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine in 2021.

Today, according to Yurii Bolokhovets’ declaration, he, his wife Liudmyla, and daughter Sofiia live in a 4-room apartment owned by his friend Andrii Reva in the residential complex “Boulevard of Fountains” in Kyiv. None of the family real estate is registered to Yurii Bolokhovets—everything is recorded in his wife’s and daughter’s names.

Author: Kateryna Rodak.