Kyiv court hears lawsuit seeking to restore the status of the Sviatoshyn Ponds
The Environmental Prosecutor’s Office is demanding the restoration of the water-protection status of a cascade of ponds on the Nyvka River, re-registered in 2022 for residential development; the court has prohibited construction on 14.5 hectares while the case is being considered.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
December 4, 2025 · 1 min read
The Commercial Court of Kyiv has opened proceedings on a lawsuit brought by the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office seeking to restore the lawful regime of the lands where the Sviatoshyn ponds are located — artificial water bodies on the Nyvka River that had been re-registered for the development of a cottage community.
Status and use
A preparatory hearing in the case took place on 4 December. Under land legislation, the territories in question belong to the water fund and may be used, in particular, for scientific and fishing purposes, not for residential construction.
Prosecutors emphasize that the plots have a special environmental protection regime: they affect the water balance, water purification and the local microclimate, and also border the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park.
Court bans works
Despite the restrictions, preparatory works for a gated cottage complex were carried out on site — the project envisages 179 townhouses and 21 apartment buildings. Part of the ponds were filled in and leveled for development, and in 2022 these territories were re-registered as plots for residential and public construction.
At the prosecutors' request, the court issued a ban on any construction work on an area of 14.5 hectares for the duration of the proceedings.
