The State Bureau of Investigation has uncovered a scheme to embezzle public funds at the Balt Forest District

In the Odesa region, investigators uncovered a possible embezzlement scheme involving contracts from the Southern Regional Office of “Forests of Ukraine” totaling more than 46 million hryvnias. According to investigators, the director of the forest district and the head of a private company may have been involved in the scheme.

The Center for Public Investigations has uncovered the details of the case.

According to a ruling by the Peresypsky District Court of Odesa, from August 2024 to March 2026, officials of the Southern Regional Office of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” entered into a series of contracts with LLC “89R13” totaling over 46.55 million hryvnias. The agreements covered work and services in forestry, sawmill operations, construction, transportation, and the wholesale trade of timber.

The State Bureau of Investigation(DBR) claims that the private company did not actually perform this work. According to the investigation, its representatives may have acted in collusion with officials of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” and public funds may have been embezzled.

According to law enforcement, the organizer of the alleged scheme was the director of the Balt Forest District, who may have acted in collusion with the founder and head of “89R13” LLC.  

According to e-forest.gov.ua, Roman Lekay is the head of the Balt Forest District. According to YouControl, “89R13” LLC is headed and owned by Dmytro Artemenko. The company was registered in 2024 with a registered capital of 10 million hryvnias. Since then, it has already received government contracts worth over 56.6 million hryvnias.

Investigators conducted a search at the company director’s residence and seized a laptop. During a search of the Balt Forest District, they also seized waybills and 775 electronic logging permits.

The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) has also completed a pre-trial investigation into the head of the “Kodymske Forestry” branch of the state-owned enterprise“Forests of Ukraine” and the former head of the “Balt Forestry Enterprise,” who are accused of organizing a system of monthly extortion payments from subordinates

Анна Літман