Nearly UAH 9 million in damages was caused to a state agricultural enterprise

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region have notified the acting director of a state agricultural enterprise of suspicion. He is suspected of misappropriating state property by selling agricultural products at lower-than-market prices.

According to the investigation, in 2024–2025, the official concluded contracts to sell soybeans and sunflowers to a private enterprise at prices below market rates, despite the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences' requirement to sell products at market value.

It was established that in 2024, soybeans were sold at UAH 13,510 per ton, while their market value at that moment ranged from UAH 18,152 to UAH 19,969 per ton.

According to the conclusions of expert evaluations, the sale of soybeans and sunflowers at understated prices resulted in nearly UAH 9 million in damages to the state research station.

"This is already the third criminal case against this official investigated by ESBU detectives. Under two previous episodes of state property misappropriation totaling over UAH 10 million, the indictments have already been forwarded to the court," noted Oleh Borysenko, Head of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region.

The acting director was notified of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—for the misappropriation of property through abuse of official position, committed on an especially large scale under martial law.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Procedural guidance is provided by the Chernivtsi Oblast Prosecutor's Office.

Please note, according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict of guilty.