More than three dozen agricultural enterprises from Vinnytsia region were affected by raiders, who signed sublease agreements for the part of their lands and registered the relevant right. Among them are 3 agriculture enterprises from Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC). We are talking about a total amount of several thousand hectares of state-owned agricultural land. According to VAR land lawyer Victoria Kipriyanova, who got acquainted with the situation, it seems the raiders were specifically looking for state-owned land, because they are large and as one array.

This story began in February this year: allegedly 32 Vinnytsia agricultural enterprises voluntarily signed sublease agreements with two companies: LLC "KIMA +" and LLC "TABAKKO RAISING", transferring their land as a sublease. Interestingly, several large agricultural holdings were among the victims. In fact, as the representatives of the affected companies explained, they did not sign any sublease agreements, and the signatures and seals are forged. One person, from the state registrar of the Mohyliv-Podilsk District State Administration of the Vinnytsia Region Antsut Oleksandr performed all registration actions. Agricultural enterprises learned about this fact by chance, conducting systematic monitoring of the land bank. Some companies learned about the sublease of their lands only today. As we know, the victims initiated the entry of the information into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations on this fact, but some cases were closed because of the fact of the crime absence.

Some companies have applied to the courts for protection of their rights, and have received positive decisions to invalidate sublease agreements, as forensic examinations have established that the signatures and seals are forged.

"In October this year, the same state registrar for unknown reasons revoked his registration actions as erroneous. However, the companies to which the land was re-registered filed a complaint to the State Registration Complaints Board of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine against the registers actions: he allegedly illegally terminated their sublease. They ask the Board to renew the records on the registration of the sublease in the Register of Real Rights. Therefore, there is a real risk that the Board can make a decision in favor of these companies. Thus, agricultural producers may again lose their land, which they have in legal lease," Victoria Kiprianova explains.

Consideration of the case by the Board is scheduled for December 17, 2020. We call on the Board and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine to prevent illegal land acquisition, fully and comprehensively consider the relevant complaints.

You can check whether you are on the list of victims on the website of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.