The State Environmental Inspection won the appeal: how they forced payment of millions in damages for destroyed forest

Despite attempts to challenge the decision in the courts, the Pulyntsi settlement community fully reimbursed 756 thousand hryvnias in damages for illegally felled oaks. Why the money had to be collected through the courts when the poachers were not found, and why this is already becoming a trend in the region — read in our report.

How 23 oaks were cut down and why the responsibility fell on the community

The story began back in August 2024. At that time, state environmental inspectors discovered an unpleasant scene outside the village of Nartsyzivka in the Pulyntsi area: unknown persons had illegally cut down 23 sturdy, naturally growing oaks.

Because law enforcement agencies were unable to identify specific perpetrators, the State Environmental Inspection turned directly to the Pulyntsi settlement council with a demand to voluntarily compensate the environmental damage. However, the community refused to pay, so the inspectors went to court.

The Commercial Court of the Zhytomyr region fully supported the inspection’s position and satisfied the claim. The settlement council tried to appeal the decision, but the appellate court left the verdict unchanged. Result: to enforce the court decision, the budget has already received full reimbursement in the amount of 756 thousand hryvnias.

Not the first precedent in Zhytomyr region: communities pay for inaction

Interestingly, similar cases in the Zhytomyr region are gradually becoming a harsh reality for local authorities. In 2025 the same Pulyntsi community already paid nearly 1,8 million hryvnias for illegal tree felling on self-forested lands. At that time it became a high-profile precedent for the entire region, since it was the first time a local government body was forced to pay for destroyed forest on lands that had not been transferred to forestry enterprises.