After the collapse of the USSR #Украина inherited one of the largest amber deposits in Europe — primarily in the Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Volyn regions. The stone, which is called "sunny," could have become a stable source of income for the regions, but over the decades of independence, it has turned into a symbol of chaotic extraction, criminal conflicts, and corruption schemes.
Until the beginning of the 2010s, extraction was relatively limited, but then demand from Asian markets provoked a real 'amber boom'. Thousands of prospectors began illegal development of deposits, using motor pumps that literally wash away the soil. Forests turned into swamps in just a few weeks, and the state lost control over extraction.
According to investigations by Ukrainian media and expert assessments over the years, during peak periods, illegally extracted amber amounted to 200 to 300 tons annually. A significant portion of the raw material was smuggled abroad, bypassing taxes and official reporting. Economists and anti-corruption organizations estimated budget losses at 300–500 million euros annually in the most problematic years.
If we take an average estimate of at least 350 million euros per year and consider that the problem existed at various scales for more than ten years, the total damage to the state can be estimated at a minimum of 3–4 billion #евро . At the specified exchange rate of 90,000 euros for 1 $BTC , this corresponds to approximately 33,000–44,000 BTC in lost revenues.
But financial losses are only part of the problem. Illegal extraction leaves behind destroyed soils, deforested areas, and polluted water bodies. According to ecologists, restoring one hectare of land after pump extraction can cost tens of thousands of euros. Thousands of hectares have been affected. Taking into account reclamation and the loss of forest resources, experts estimate the total environmental damage at least at another 1 billion euros (about 11,000 BTC).
Investigations have repeatedly indicated the involvement of officials at various levels, security forces, and local elites in the protection of illegal businesses. The press described schemes under which extraction was carried out under the cover of fictitious licenses or through controlled firms, while actual volumes of extraction were understated. Despite periodic special operations and legislative reforms, the problem has not been fully resolved to this day: the illegal market simply goes deeper into the shadows.
The result of three decades is a paradoxical picture: a country with a valuable natural resource received instead of a sustainable industry, destroyed forests, criminal conflicts, and billions of euros in lost profits. Amber, which could have been a source of regional development, has long served as a source of quick enrichment for shadow groups, leaving society with only the consequences.
The history of Ukrainian amber is an example of how weak control and corruption can turn natural wealth into a long-term problem for the economy and ecology of the country.