Ukraine investigates illegal granite mining sheme PHOTO

Ukrainian authorities have uncovered an illegal granite mining operation in the central Kirovohrad region that allegedly caused more than $28 million in damages to the state, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

In a statement published on Telegram, prosecutors said companies continued extracting granite after their special permits for subsoil use had expired. The mining reportedly took place over several years under the pretext of clearing hazardous sections of a quarry, Caliber.Az reports. 

Investigators estimate that more than 375,000 cubic metres of granite, classified as a mineral resource of national importance, were extracted illegally. The Prosecutor General's Office described the case as one of the largest investigations involving the protection of mineral resources in the region in recent years.

One suspect has been formally charged in connection with the scheme, while the investigation remains ongoing.

Separately, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said illegal extraction of natural resources had also been identified in other parts of the country. According to Kravchenko, the cases involve the unauthorized mining of gabbro, groundwater and other resources.

He alleged that those involved had "plundered state property and abused their official positions."

By Sabina Mammadli