KIEV, April 3 (RAPSI) – A court in Kiev ruled to nationalise five hectares (about 12 acres) of land that belonged to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, regional prosecutor's office announced on Friday.

Prosecutors found that several years ago the Kiev Region administration approved the rezoning of part of the Dnipro-Teteriv forest and game reserve and that the Vyshgorod administration turned it over to six individuals for farming purposes.

The new owners subsequently registered the land plot, estimated at nearly 2 million hryvnias ($85,700), to joint-stock company Dom Lesnika (Forest Ranger). In 2009, the land plot was re-registered as suitable for construction and hotel/restaurant business.

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that under the law the Kiev Region did not have the power to approve such rezoning, which then led to the lawsuit.