Ukraine has temporarily banned the export of unprocessed timber, instituting a licensing regime with a zero quota for the remainder of the year, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on Friday. The measure, she said, is intended to shore up domestic supplies of wood fuel and industrial raw material ahead of winter, protect jobs in the forestry sector, and reduce pressure on the country’s forests.
“This is a necessary step to look after people in winter, safeguard the jobs at our enterprises, and reduce the burden on the environment,” Ms Svyrydenko wrote on Facebook, revealing that the decision was an emergency response to what the government describes as an acute domestic shortage of timber. Officials say that logging volumes have fallen sharply since the invasion began, leaving many forest enterprises idle or operating at minimal capacity and tightening supplies for households and businesses alike.
The Cabinet of Ministers stated that the restriction is temporary and that the licensing framework will enable authorities to monitor flows and prioritise domestic needs. It also promised further measures aimed at simplifying harvesting procedures and stabilising supply chains over the coming months. The government has not yet published detailed implementing regulations, leaving exporters and traders to await guidance on how the regime will be administered and whether any narrow exemptions will be permitted.
The move arrives amid mounting concerns about both civilian heating needs and military demand for wood. In many rural communities, households depend on firewood for winter heating, and officials have warned that shortages could have immediate humanitarian consequences. The military, too, requires timber for a range of logistical uses, officials said, adding another pressure on already constrained supplies and complicating allocation decisions.
At the same time, the government’s action follows a separate law enforcement disclosure in which prosecutors alleged schemes to embezzle timber at the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine,” reporting suspected losses of UAH 32.8 million (approximately US $800,000). Authorities said the fraud investigations underscore the need for tighter controls on timber flows and for improved governance of state forestry assets, arguments that proponents of the export restrictions have used to justify rapid intervention.
- To learn how Ukrainian officials are now working with the EU to stop the trade of “grey timber” into the European Union, click here for Wood Central’s special feature from June 2025.
