Group DF, uniting assets of businessman Dmytro Firtash, has accused the prosecutor's office in Zhytomyr region of interfering work of local councils and hindering operations of the group over the office's claim to remove the issues of allocating 115 ha of forests for production of titanium to Valky-Ilmenit LLC (Irshansk, Zhytomyr region), part of Group DF, from the agenda of the session of the Zhytomyr Regional Council.

Group DF said in a Wednesday press release, steps of the prosecutor's office are unlawful, and the group considers them as a new attempt to hinder its operations.

"Not having legal powers, the prosecutor's office in Zhytomyr region interferes in the work of the local self-government body - Zhytomyr Regional Council and deliberately hinders the operations of Valky-Ilmenit. Thus, a deliberate attempt to block one of the largest investment projects in the region is being made," the group said.

The group said that Valky-Ilmenit operates in line with the Ukrainian legislation.

According to the press release, information on the allegedly extremely negative reaction of the public spread by the prosecutor's office is also untrue, as when the company received primary permits in 2012 it also received consent of all land owners and land users of the area that were endorsed by a notary. In 2016, public hearings were held. Representatives of the local community supported the implementation of the project to develop Stremyhorodske field. It is planned to create over 3,000 new jobs.

"For its part, the group will prove its correctness by all lawful methods, and is ready to apply to Ukrainian and international judicial and human rights institutions for the restoration of justice," the group said.