On the investigation of atmospheric pollution

The article discusses the delimitation of criminal air pollution and administrative offenses for the release of harmful substances into the air. The author concludes that it is impossible to develop a universal method of investigation of the crime under Article 251 of the Criminal Code due to the specifics of industrial production and their diversity, as well as natural and climatic features of the regions of the Russian Federation. It is pointed out that the specificity of the preliminary investigation of the crime under consideration is due to the need to use special knowledge to prove the fact of air pollution or other changes in its natural properties. In this regard, the author identifies the types of forensic examinations, specifies the tasks to be solved by each of them.