In the Chernobyl exclusion zone, radioactive land was sown, and the harvest was sold at the market
This has been reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
The former village head, together with a land surveyor and the managers of four companies, granted businesses access to 1,900 hectares in an unconditional resettlement zone, where all economic activity is prohibited.
To circumvent the law, the businessmen drew up fictitious preliminary lease agreements. They sowed the fields, harvested the crops and sold them on the market.
In just one year, the state suffered losses of over 4.9 million hryvnias.
The director of one of the companies organised a group involving the heads of other enterprises and a member of the village council.
On the illegally occupied plots, they grew 364.77 tonnes of sunflowers worth over 6.6 million hryvnias, which they transported out of the evacuation zone and sold.
The actions of the officials and company managers have been classified as unauthorised occupation of land, abuse of office, violation of radiation safety regulations, misappropriation of property and the legalisation of illicit income.
We would like to remind you that 26 April 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster — the largest man-made accident in human history. ThePublic reports on how the Russians shelled the plant during the full-scale war, what the zone looks like today, and which exhibitions and films are available to view.
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