Donetsk, Jul 21 — DAN. Three forestries on a total area of 43,000 hectares in liberated areas have come under the Donetsk People’s Republic control, chairman of the DPR state committee for forestries and game husbandry Alexey Shebalkov told the Donetsk News Agency on Thursday.
“The DPR government has ordered to set up the Krasnolimanskoye Forestry, the third in liberated areas, ” Shebalkov said. “It has to be inventoried but fighting is ongoing in the Krasny Liman area. The Priazovsky and Velikoanadolsky Forestries which were established earlier are beginning operation.”
The Priazovsky Forestry located in the Volodarsky and Pershotravnevy districts is practically intact while the Velikoanadosky Forestry (Volnovakha district) suffered extensive damage to property including buildings, equipment and seedlings in the course of the fighting. Precise damage assessment is not possible due to the proximity of the frontline. The infrastructure of the Krasnolimanskoye Forestry suffered 60 percent damage; former administration officials withdrew nearly all equipment to Dnepropetrovsk. The forest was damaged by shell explosions and ensuing fires, he added.
“We also have the Slavyansk Forestry on an area of 20,000 hectares and the Krasnoarmeisk Forestry on an 10,000-hectare area. We are restoring the forestries within the borders that existed in 2014, because Ukraine later pooled five forestries into three and shut down two forestries altogether sacking all personnel. Now, we’re going to split three forestries into five again, ” Shebalkov said.
The forestries that came under DPR control have the following areas: Velikoanadolsky — 5,000 hectares, Priazovsky — 11,000 hectares and Krasnolimansky — 27,000 hectares.*jk