Position: Head of the Western Ukrainian Geophysical Exploration Expedition of the State Enterprise "Ukrgeofizika".
Sphere of corrupt activity: leasing of state facilities.
Region of corruption activity: Carpathian region.
Qualification: actions are qualified under Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: at large.
The plot of the case: at the end of October 2025, the SSU, together with the police and the BEB, exposed Yuriy Horal, the head of the Western Ukrainian geophysical reconnaissance expedition of the state enterprise "Ukrgeofizika", in embezzlement of over 6 million UAH. According to the investigation, he profited from the illegal lease of warehouses in the Carpathian region.
As reported by the SSU and the Lviv Region Prosecutor's Office, during 2021-2022, the head of the structural unit of the State Enterprise "Ukrgeofizyka" illegally leased state-owned warehouses located in the Nadvirna district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
He concluded contracts for the storage of property without appropriate approval from the State Property Fund and without holding auctions as required by law. As a result of such actions, the state budget received more than UAH 6.1 million less.
The head of the unit was informed of suspicion of abuse of office, which led to serious consequences (Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Law enforcement officers are not disclosing more details of the case. According to media reports, the suspicion was received by 46-year-old Yuriy Horal, who held the position of head of the Western Ukrainian geophysical reconnaissance expedition of the state enterprise "Ukrgeofizika" in 2016-2021.
The Lychakiv District Court of Lviv has chosen a preventive measure for the suspect in the form of a bail of UAH 1,059,800. This is stated in the court's ruling, which was published in the Opendatabot register in October. The court rejected the defense's request for the application of a personal bond.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes: no information is available from open sources about possible accomplices.
Assets: Yuriy Horal's last published declaration was for 2020. In it, he indicated that he has the right to free use of a residential building owned by his relative. At the same time, his wife owns three apartments (total value – UAH 3,810,952).
His wife also has three apartments as unfinished construction projects.
Yuriy Horal himself indicated that he owns an Audi Q5 car (the declared cost of the car is UAH 304,303).
Horal's income for the same year was 209,516 UAH, and his wife's was 2,378,485 UAH.
Goral also did not declare any monetary assets, but his wife declared $35,000 in cash.
Persons who should have reacted: law enforcement agencies responded to Horal's criminal activities in a timely manner, presenting him with a suspicion.
Scandals: Before the corruption scheme, Goral was not seen as a figure in other scandals.
Sources:
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/963e745b-80f7-41e0-8e74-414c7fa6bf0f