21 October 2025
(PHOTO COLLAGE: Intent)
The Teplodar City Court of Odesa Region sentenced the director of a water production company to three years in prison for illegal mining.
However, as noted in the court's verdict, his actual sentence was replaced by probation for one year.
The convict headed the limited liability company Artuz Aqua Plant, which in 2024 became the only bidder for a special permit for subsoil use - Teplodarska field, located in the city of Teplodar, Odesa district, Odesa region. Type of mineral resource: groundwater for drinking purposes for non-centralized water supply.
However, in the end, the auction did not take place, so the company did not receive a special permit for subsoil use from the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine. But it did receive a permit from the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine, and the company began producing water. Later, it was sold.
At the court hearing, the convict pleaded guilty and explained that in 2023 the plant received a permit for special water use and started operating. Due to the lengthy bureaucratic system, it takes 6-7 months to prepare a package of documents for obtaining a license. The auction was not held on time. It was necessary to prepare a new set of documents, which takes a lot of time. The plant started operating without obtaining a special license. Only one auction was held during the year. The company started preparing documents for the license in the summer of 2024. In May 2025, the company received a special permit for subsoil use.
A mitigating circumstance for the defendant is his active assistance in solving the criminal offense. The court did not find any aggravating circumstances. The court also took into account the age of the accused, the presence of serious illnesses confirmed by documents, as well as the fact that the company has now received a Special Permit for Subsoil Use and is already extracting water legally.
Кирило Бойко