He cut down three ash trees with a chainsaw in a protective forest belt in the Mykolaiv region

A court found a man guilty who on 19 March 2026 illegally cut down three ash trees in a protective forest belt on the territory of the Prybuzhanivska community. The verdict was reported by the State Environmental Inspectorate of the South-Western District. According to Telegram @derzhecoinspekciya_pivdenno_zah.

The man did not have a special permit to cut trees. He used a chainsaw to fell the ash trees.

State Environmental Inspectorate of the South-Western District estimated the environmental damage at UAH 38,700. The calculated amount was also confirmed by an expert.

The man was found guilty under part 1 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — for illegal tree felling in protective forest plantations. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment with a probationary period of one year.

The court fully satisfied the civil claim and ordered the defendant to pay UAH 38,700 to the environmental inspectorate. The chainsaw used to cut the trees will be confiscated into state ownership.

Protective forest strips (shelterbelts) are part of protective forests. They perform soil conservation and water protection functions, so their preservation affects the condition of soils and natural ecosystems.

Previously we wrote:

• Chainsaws, acacias and UAH 400,000 in damages: the case of illegal loggers reached the court
• “They were in the way”: two walnut trees were cut down in garages in Korabelnyi and garbage was burned — fine UAH 8,900
• Pruning or vandalism: scandals continue in Mykolaiv over the moratorium on crown pruning of trees
• Let’s save the forests together! Acorn collection for the Mykolaiv region has started