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Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / Protected area / relocation · Russia · 2018–2024

Tukolon reserve sanitary logging conviction in Irkutsk Oblast

Nature's voice · report
About 120 ha of my relict forest in the Tukolon regional reserve was clear-felled in 2018, according to the investigators' figure reported by Interfax.
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record. Disputed
Recorded
  • Novaya Gazeta reported that 116 ha of a planned 500 ha was cut, and that 96.3% of the timber was commercial-grade, according to a Rosleskhoz Siberian district check. Novaya Gazeta
  • In 2019, 2.3 to 3.7 million ha of my Siberian and Far Eastern forest were burning in July, depending on the source. Current Time
  • About 120 hectares of my forest were lost.
    Relict forest clear-felled in the reserve (investigators' figure via Interfax). Novaya Gazeta: 116 ha of a planned 500 ha.
What the record lacks: 3 none on record · 1 self-reported only · 5 disputed See the gaps
Accounts of the harm differ
Whether the Tukolon felling was needed as sanitary logging
  • Government and regulators Irkutsk regional government: The forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by forest fires; sanitary logging was carried out after all necessary permits were obtained. Pravo.ru
  • Government and regulators Irkutsk Oblast Ministry of Forest Complex: The need for clear sanitary cuts was confirmed (2018). Novaya Gazeta
  • Government and regulators Rosleskhoz Siberian district check, prompted by Greenpeace: The cut was commercial; 96.3% of the timber was commercial-grade (as reported by Novaya Gazeta). Novaya Gazeta
  • Courts Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk: Convicted four former officials who, as reported, knew there were no grounds for continuous sanitary felling in the reserve. Interfax
Whether fires were set to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast
  • Government and regulators Prosecutor General's Office (Kurennoy): Such cases were identified in Irkutsk Oblast, when, apparently, fires were used to cover illegal logging. Current Time
  • Government and regulators Rosleskhoz (acting head Klinov): The theory is baseless; no confirmation that forests were set on fire to conceal illegal logging. Interfax (English)
  • Government and regulators Irkutsk regional government: No documents from the prosecutor's office have reached it; it hears only unsubstantiated accusations. Radio Svoboda / Sibir.Realii

In May 2022 the Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk convicted four former officials, including the former regional forestry minister, over a 2018 clear-felling of about 120 ha of relict forest in the Tukolon regional reserve. The cut had been justified as sanitary logging of pest- and fire-damaged forest.

about 120 haRelict forest clear-felled in the Tukolon regional reserve
Investigators' figure as reported by Interfax; Novaya Gazeta reported 116 ha of a planned 500 ha.

Status As of January 2024: convictions of 18 May 2022 stand; Sheverda's sentence was reduced on appeal to 6 years 4 months and he was released at the end of his term.

What?
About 120 ha of relict forest in the Tukolon regional reserve was clear-felled as sanitary logging in 2018; in May 2022 a court convicted four former officials, and prosecutors separately said in 2019 that fires had apparently been used to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast. Interfax
Where?
Tukolon regional nature reserve, Kazachinsko-Lensky District, Irkutsk Oblast; Kirovsky District Court in Irkutsk. Interfax
When?
Felling in 2018; case opened 14 June 2018; minister charged 6 June 2019; verdict 18 May 2022; appeal ruling November 2022; further ruling 25 December 2023; release reported 15 January 2024. IRK.ru
Who?
Gained
  • Buyers of the Tukolon timber — Then-prosecutor Voronin claimed in 2020 that the timber was sold to China at first-grade wood prices (reported claim) Interfax
Lost
  • Sergey Sheverda, Gennady Rykov, Alexey Tuga, Alexander Vladimirov — Prison sentences of 5 to 6.5 years and a 3-year ban on holding certain posts Interfax
Harmed
  • Tukolon regional nature reserve — About 120 ha of relict forest clear-felled Interfax
Why?
The regional government said the forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by fires; the court-reported finding was that the officials knew there were no grounds for continuous sanitary felling. Interfax
How?
Sanitary clear-felling was authorised in a regional reserve; the convictions were for aiding illegal logging and, per IRK.ru, violations in a specially protected area. Interfax
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

In 2018 about 120 ha of relict forest in the Tukolon regional nature reserve (Kazachinsko-Lensky District, Irkutsk Oblast) was clear-felled as sanitary logging; Novaya Gazeta reported 116 ha of a planned 500 ha. The Irkutsk regional government argued that the forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by forest fires, and the regional Ministry of Forest Complex said the need for continuous sanitary felling had been confirmed. A Rosleskhoz Siberian district check, prompted by Greenpeace, found that the cut was commercial, with 96.3% of the timber commercial-grade (as reported by Novaya Gazeta). A criminal case was opened on 14 June 2018.

On 6 June 2019 the Irkutsk Oblast minister of the forest complex, Sergey Sheverda, was detained and charged by the Investigative Committee under Article 286 part 3 (exceeding official powers); the charge said he knew there were no grounds for logging in the reserve. The regional government said the Tukolon sanitary logging was carried out after all necessary permits were obtained. In May 2019 the Prosecutor General's Office had separately reported a scheme in which forestry enterprise staff falsified acts on the need for sanitary felling to bypass auctions and sell timber cheaply; a case was opened under Article 260 part 3 and Article 286 part 3.

On 18 May 2022 the Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk convicted four former officials: Sheverda, 6 years 6 months; Gennady Rykov, former director of the Kazachinsko-Lensky forestry enterprise, 6 years 6 months; Alexey Tuga, former deputy minister, 6 years; and Alexander Vladimirov, former forest pathology engineer at the Irkutsk branch of the Russian Centre for Forest Protection, 5 years. All sentences were in a general-regime colony, with a 3-year ban on holding certain posts. Interfax reported that the officials knew there were no grounds for continuous sanitary felling in the reserve; the charges were reported under Article 260 part 3 (illegal logging) and Article 33 part 5 (aiding), with IRK.ru also listing Article 262 (violations in specially protected natural areas). The court granted a civil claim reported as over RUB 480 million by Interfax and more than RUB 360 million by IRK.ru.

The Irkutsk Regional Court reduced Sheverda's sentence by two months to 6 years 4 months in November 2022. On 25 December 2023 it overturned a lower-court decision that had replaced the remainder of his sentence with a milder punishment, which the prosecution had challenged. Sheverda was released at the end of his term, reported on 15 January 2024, with pre-trial detention counted at 1.5 days per day.

On 6 August 2019, during the Siberian fire season, Prosecutor General's Office spokesman Alexander Kurennoy said that in Irkutsk Oblast, apparently, fires had been used to cover illegal logging. Prosecutors said regional officials had reported inaccurate burned areas, distances to settlements and extinguishing times, and had opened criminal cases against several officials of regional forestry enterprises. The Irkutsk regional government said no documents had reached it from the prosecutor's office. Rosleskhoz's acting head said the theory that forests were set on fire to conceal illegal logging was baseless.

  1. 2018About 120 ha clear-felled in Tukolon reserve; criminal case opened (14 Jun)
  2. 2019Prosecutors report a sanitary-felling scheme (May); Sheverda detained and charged (6 Jun); Prosecutor General's Office statement on fires and illegal logging in Irkutsk (6 Aug); Rosleskhoz says no confirmation (Sep)
  3. 2020Then-prosecutor Alexander Voronin claims the Tukolon timber was sold to China at first-grade prices
  4. 2022Kirovsky District Court convicts four former officials (18 May); appeal reduces Sheverda's sentence (Nov)
  5. 2023Irkutsk Regional Court overturns decision replacing the remainder of Sheverda's sentence (25 Dec)
  6. 2024Sheverda released at the end of his term (reported 15 Jan)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“We identified such cases in Irkutsk Oblast too, when, apparently, fires were used to cover illegal logging.”

Alexander Kurennoy, spokesman, Prosecutor General's Office · 6 August 2019 · translated from Russian · Current Time

“No documents from the prosecutor's office have reached us; we hear only unsubstantiated accusations.”

“sanitary logging in Tukolon was carried out after all necessary permits were obtained.”

Irkutsk regional government · 2019 · translated from Russian · Pravo.ru

“the need for clear sanitary cuts was confirmed.”

Irkutsk Oblast Ministry of Forest Complex · 2018 · translated from Russian · Novaya Gazeta

“the accused knew there were no grounds for logging in the reserve.”

Investigative Committee charge against Sergey Sheverda · June 2019 · translated from Russian · Pravo.ru

“is baseless”

Rosleskhoz acting head Klinov, on the theory that forests were set on fire to conceal illegal logging · 25 September 2019 · Interfax (English)

“Today this is a voluntary decision of governors. The exchange-sale mechanism operates in 17 regions of the Russian Federation.”

Viktoria Abramchenko, Deputy Prime Minister, on exchange sale of sanitary-felled wood · 21 October 2020 · translated from Russian · Government of Russia

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

Whether the Tukolon felling was needed as sanitary logging
Government and regulators
Irkutsk regional government

The forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by forest fires; sanitary logging was carried out after all necessary permits were obtained.

Pravo.ru
Government and regulators
Irkutsk Oblast Ministry of Forest Complex

The need for clear sanitary cuts was confirmed (2018).

Novaya Gazeta
Government and regulators
Rosleskhoz Siberian district check, prompted by Greenpeace

The cut was commercial; 96.3% of the timber was commercial-grade (as reported by Novaya Gazeta).

Novaya Gazeta
Courts
Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk

Convicted four former officials who, as reported, knew there were no grounds for continuous sanitary felling in the reserve.

Interfax
Whether fires were set to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast
Government and regulators
Prosecutor General's Office (Kurennoy)

Such cases were identified in Irkutsk Oblast, when, apparently, fires were used to cover illegal logging.

Current Time
Government and regulators
Rosleskhoz (acting head Klinov)

The theory is baseless; no confirmation that forests were set on fire to conceal illegal logging.

Interfax (English)
Government and regulators
Irkutsk regional government

No documents from the prosecutor's office have reached it; it hears only unsubstantiated accusations.

Radio Svoboda / Sibir.Realii
Amount of damage in the Tukolon case
Government and regulators
Investigators (June 2019)

RUB 748 million.

Pravo.ru
Press and investigations
Novaya Gazeta (2018)

Over RUB 880 million.

Novaya Gazeta
Courts
Court, as reported by Interfax (2022)

About RUB 481 million; civil claim of over RUB 480 million granted.

Interfax
Press and investigations
IRK.ru (2024)

Claim granted of more than RUB 360 million.

IRK.ru

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

  • Sanitary logging of forest infested with bark beetles and "damaged by forest fires".
    Irkutsk Oblast government, as reported by Interfax · Interfax
  • The Tukolon timber was sold to China at first-grade wood prices.
    Alexander Voronin, then-prosecutor, 2020 (reported claim), via Interfax · Interfax
  • Fires apparently used to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast.
    Prosecutor General's Office spokesman Alexander Kurennoy, 6 August 2019 · Current Time

Recorded

  • The Kirovsky District Court of Irkutsk convicted Sheverda, Rykov, Tuga and Vladimirov on 18 May 2022 (Interfax; Oblastnaya Gazeta).
    Interfax
  • Reported finding: the officials knew there were no grounds for continuous sanitary felling in the reserve; about 120 ha of relict forest was felled.
    Interfax
  • Sheverda's sentence was reduced by two months to 6 years 4 months on appeal; a decision replacing the remainder with a milder punishment was overturned on 25 December 2023.
    IRK.ru
  • Prosecutors found signs of illegal logging in some re-ignition areas that were not in the fire reports (Current Time).
    Current Time
  • Accounts Chamber (2023): regional burned-area data was found unreliable more often in 2022 than in 2020 (+13.1%), with the largest deviation (58.1%) in Irkutsk Oblast in 2022.
    Accounts Chamber of Russia (via Meganorm)
  • Accounts Chamber: recovery for illegal logging identified by remote monitoring was no more than 0.2% of identified damage over 10 years.
    Accounts Chamber of Russia (via Meganorm)
  • In 2019 between 2.3 and 3.7 million ha were burning in Siberia and the Far East in July, depending on the source (Current Time).
    Current Time

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
No figure published.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
Damage found by the court (Interfax)≈ 481m
Civil claim granted (Interfax: over RUB 480 million)480m
Civil claim granted (IRK.ru: more than RUB 360 million)> 360m
Damage put by investigators at charging (Pravo.ru)748m
Damage reported by Novaya Gazeta880m
Currency: RUB · Window: 2018–2022. All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.

Responses on record

  • irkutsk-regional-government (2019): Sanitary logging in Tukolon was carried out after all necessary permits were obtained; the forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by forest fires. · Pravo.ru
  • irkutsk-regional-government (August 2019): Press service said no documents from the prosecutor's office had reached it and it heard only unsubstantiated accusations. · Radio Svoboda / Sibir.Realii
  • rosleskhoz (25 September 2019): Acting head said the theory that forests were set on fire to conceal illegal logging was baseless. · Interfax (English)
  • russian-prosecutor-general (6 August 2019): Spokesman said apparently fires had been used to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast; opened cases against officials of regional forestry enterprises. · Current Time

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

  1. 2018–2022Claimant wonRUB 481m damage found by the court (about; Interfax)
    Criminal case against Sheverda, Rykov, Tuga and Vladimirov (Tukolon reserve)
    Kirovsky District Court, Irkutsk · Criminal · Prosecutors; Investigative Committee → Sergey Sheverda (former Irkutsk Oblast minister of the forest complex), Gennady Rykov (former director, Kazachinsko-Lensky forestry enterprise), Alexey Tuga (former deputy minister; spelled Tugi in Interfax), Alexander Vladimirov (former forest pathology engineer, Russian Centre for Forest Protection, Irkutsk branch)

    Convicted on 18 May 2022 under Article 260 part 3 (illegal logging) and Article 33 part 5 (aiding), with Article 262 also reported by IRK.ru: Sheverda 6 years 6 months, Rykov 6 years 6 months, Tuga 6 years, Vladimirov 5 years, in a general-regime colony with a 3-year ban on holding certain posts. Sheverda was earlier charged under Article 286 part 3 (exceeding official powers). Interfax

  2. 2022–2023Reduced on appeal
    Appeal and sentence review for Sergey Sheverda
    Irkutsk Regional Court · Appeal · Prosecutors → Sergey Sheverda

    The sentence was reduced by two months to 6 years 4 months (November 2022); on 25 December 2023 the court overturned a lower-court decision that had replaced the remainder with a milder punishment, which the prosecution had challenged. IRK.ru

  3. 2022Claimant wonRUB 480m claim granted (Interfax: over RUB 480 million; IRK.ru: more than RUB 360 million)
    Civil claim for damages (Tukolon reserve)
    Kirovsky District Court, Irkutsk · Civil · Not named in press coverage → The convicted officials

    Interfax reported a civil claim of over RUB 480 million granted; IRK.ru reported more than RUB 360 million. Whether any of it was paid is not reported. Interfax

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What nature saw

Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

Relict forest felled
about 120 ha
Regional reserve, 2018 (investigators' figure via Interfax); 116 ha per Novaya Gazeta
Commercial-grade timber
96.3%
Rosleskhoz Siberian district check, as reported by Novaya Gazeta
Damage found by the court
about RUB 481 million
Interfax; other sources give RUB 748 million and over RUB 880 million
Prison sentences
5 to 6.5 years
Four former officials, 18 May 2022

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Court ruling exists

Nature

  • Disputed Whether the Tukolon felling was needed as sanitary logging
  • Disputed Whether fires were set to cover illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast

Accounts

  • Disputed Amount of damage in the Tukolon case

Record

  • Disputed Disputed: the damage figure. The investigators put it at RUB 748 million at charging (Pravo.ru, 2019); Novaya Gazeta reported over RUB 880 million (2018); the court found about RUB 481 million (Interfax, 2022). The civil claim granted is reported as over RUB 480 million (Interfax) and more than RUB 360 million (IRK.ru).
  • Disputed Disputed: whether fires were set to enable sanitary logging. The Prosecutor General's Office spokesman said fires apparently covered illegal logging; Rosleskhoz's acting head called the theory baseless.
  • None on record None on record: a court ruling or formal charge linking a forest fire to concealment of illegal logging in Irkutsk Oblast.
  • None on record None on record: whether any of the civil claim has been paid.
  • Self-reported only Self-reported only: the regional government's account that the Tukolon forest was infested with bark beetles and damaged by fires and that all permits were obtained.
  • None on record None on record: the outcome of Prime Minister Medvedev's check of whether fires were set deliberately to hide illegal logging, reported as due on 1 November 2019.

Did the harm stop?

The felling took place in 2018 and a criminal case was opened on 14 June 2018.

Who paid?

The court granted a civil claim reported as over RUB 480 million (Interfax) or more than RUB 360 million (IRK.ru); payment is not reported. The four officials received 5 to 6.5 years in a general-regime colony.

Sources

Voices on record: — Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

Government and regulators

  2. Audit report on forest fire prevention (Accounts Chamber bulletin text)
    Accounts Chamber of Russia (via Meganorm) · 2023

Press and investigations

  6. The "black sanitation" case
    Novaya Gazeta · 2018-06-18
  8. Forest fires in Irkutsk Oblast used to cover illegal logging
    Radio Svoboda / Sibir.Realii · 2019-08-07

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Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
Terms used on this page

Science and environment

Hectare (ha)
A unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres, about 2.5 acres. 100 hectares make one square kilometre.
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