Farmers are protesting over culling of thousands of cows in Russian regions. VIDEO
Protests are continuing in Russia’s Novosibirsk region over the mass seizure and destruction of livestock.
This is reported by Censor.NET, citing Meduza.
How did it all start?
Local residents claim that the animals are being killed allegedly due to a "dangerous disease", though this has not been officially named. People are also complaining about the lack of explanations from the authorities and the meagre compensation, as livestock was their main source of income.
The conflict escalated in early March when residents of several villages began blocking the machinery used to cull the animals. According to local media, cows, pigs and sheep had been culled in the region since February.
The authorities attributed the culls to outbreaks of rabies and pasteurellosis. At the same time, farmers claim that the animals appeared healthy and that no tests were carried out prior to slaughter.
Experts note that the response to different diseases should vary. In particular, pasteurellosis is usually treatable and requires the isolation of sick animals, rather than the complete culling of the herd. Meanwhile, stricter measures may be necessary during rabies outbreaks, but even in such cases, total culling is considered a last resort.
Despite this, the veterinary authorities are taking a hard line: animals are being seized in whole herds, operations are being carried out with police involvement, and protesters are being detained. According to available information, the number of animals culled runs into the thousands, and the carcasses are being disposed of at special disposal sites.
At the same time, the situation has caused a widespread outcry on social media, where users are linking it to other problems in the country – rising prices, internet restrictions and pressure on citizens.
Among those affected are former Russian occupiers who have lost livestock purchased with their own savings. In particular, Anton Dolzhenko, a resident of the village of Chernokuria in the Karasuk district of the Novosibirsk region, said he had bought the animals with compensation received after being wounded in the war in Ukraine.
