In an announcement Tuesday, the government said new measures will be introduced to handle growing environmental crimes.

A new legislation is set to  amend Ukraine’s Criminal Code bringing in new sections (246-1, 246-2,  246-3) that will cover such offences as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking and cover-up of environmentally harmful or poor practices.

The government seeks to ‘heighten criminal liabilities for some ecological offences’ that currently have ‘inadequate’ penalties.

Under the proposed changes, cover-up of information relating to environmental  and radiation control regulations will  carry punishment of up to 68,000 hryvnas, removal from office, or 3 years’ imprisonment.

Business activities  that breach  environmental permitting policies will soon cost offenders a post in their office or  land them in jail for up to 3 years.

The new legislation has already been introduced in  the Verkhovna Rada.