Nataliya Melen, the advisor and press secretary of Mykola Boyakin, who, according to a government order, was acting head of Ukraine's State Geology and Mineral Resources Service from January 23, 2015, through May 18, 2017, has said unknown persons have raided the office of Boyakin.

"Today, on May 25, unknown persons have seized the office of the chairman of Ukraine's State Geology and Mineral Resources Service. Employees are alarmed. They are not being allowed to work. Verkhovna Rada members have arrived on the scene. The service has been surrounded by activists and law-enforcement authorities …. There is information these unknown persons have attempted to receive access to documents, stamps and the safe," Melen said.

As earlier reported, Boyakin was named acting head of the service pursuant to Cabinet order No. 43-r on January 23, 2015. Cabinet order No. 320-r issued on May 18, 2017, abrogated his tenure as acting head, and order No. 321-r appointed Oleh Kyryliuk as acting head of the service.

According to information from the non-governmental organization Geology Ukraine, Kyiv's district court on May 19 voided Cabinet order No. 316-317-r and order No. 320-321-r, dated May 18, 2017.

NGO activists, who petitioned for the court order, said the court also forbade Ukraine's Justice Ministry and other authorized organs to make changes to the state register based on the Cabinet's instructions.