You're reading: Media: 30,400-hectare hunting grounds near Mezhyhiria leased for 49 years

Kyiv Regional State Administration has leased 30,400 hectares of the Dnipro-Teteriv forest for 49 years to the Kedr Society of Hunters and Fishermen, which is associated with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, the Forbes.ua online newspaper wrote on Monday, Sept. 10.

The newspaper reported that the decision to lease a state forest was
taken at a session of Kyiv Regional Council on July 31, but that is was
not officially announced. Under the decision, the forest was given over
for wildlife management. The newspaper notes that in this way, Kedr
effectively becomes the manager of the hunting grounds, where Yanukovych
has a “hunting lodge” built in 2010-2011.

The publication also noted that according to Ukrainian legislation,
the fee for the use of hunting grounds would be introduced only on
January 1, 2015.

The report also notes that Sukholuchia is not the first hunting
ground received by Kedr. This winter, the society received nearly 9,000
hectares in Crimea, including Cape Ayu-Dag. Forbes.ua noted that the
owners of this society are Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy
Boiko, Head of Cherkasy Regional State Administration Serhiy Tulub and
Head of Ukravtodor Volodymyr Demishkan.

The Kedr Society of Hunters and Fishermen was founded in 2008 and
registered at 19 Ivan Franko Street in the village of Novi Petrivtsi,
Vyshgorod district, Kyiv region. The residence of Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych is located in this village.