Ukraine war slows crackdown on illegal amber mining

Ukraine's war is slowing efforts to control illegal amber mining, with industry figures warning that unregistered amber is flooding the market and environmental oversight has been weakened.

Illegal amber extraction has long damaged forested areas in Rivne, in northwest Ukraine. Criminal groups used motor pumps for years to flush out the fossilised resin, leaving damaged land and fuelling a black market.

Ukraine passed a law in 2019 regulating amber mining, requiring less intrusive practices and approved excavation plans. Official exports of unprocessed amber rose from 0.61 tonnes in 2020 to 88.83 tonnes in 2025, according to Ukraine Customs Service data obtained by AFP.

But martial law imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion suspended scheduled inspections and environmental audits. Industry figures say that has left regulators with little visibility over mining sites.

Oleg Bogelsky, co-owner of the Amber Galbin mining group, estimated that 60 to 70 percent of amber mined in Ukraine is now unregistered or “grey.” Mykola Kotniuk, chairman of the Amber Business Association of Ukraine, said some operators may be abusing permits for pilot and exploratory work to extract amber.

Borys Indychenko, head of the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor's Office, said Ukraine has opened 369 probes into illicit amber mining and possession since 2024. He said some companies set up fences and checkpoints and may use security guards linked to organised criminal groups.