Siberian Farmers Defend Livestock Against Government Cull Orders | Russia News Update
Little farmers across Siberia are defying government orders to cull livestock, sparking protests and raising questions about food security and regional governance. The conflict, centered in the Novosibirsk region, has drawn attention from both Kremlin-backed influencers and opposition figures, as well as prompting concerns about potential political motivations behind the culls.
The unrest began as authorities initiated what they described as measures to control a “highly dangerous disease” affecting livestock. However, farmers claim no tests have been conducted and that healthy animals are being targeted for destruction. In the village of Kozikha, Novosibirsk region, residents have barricaded roads and farms in an attempt to protect their animals.
Marina, a resident of Kozikha, described the importance of her livestock to her family’s livelihood in a video posted online. “All of this was built on milk. If I didn’t keep livestock, where would I locate the big bucks?” she said, showing the unfinished state of her home, a project funded by the farm’s income.
Similar scenes are unfolding in other villages across the Novosibirsk region. In Novokluchi, Svetlana Panina reported that an animal control team killed 150 rams, 40 cows, seven goats, three camels, and two piglets on her farm while she was away. Panina subsequently protested outside the Novosibirsk governor’s office and attempted to confront regional Agriculture Minister Andrei Shindelov, a confrontation captured in a viral video.
Shindelov announced a region-wide state of emergency on February 16 due to the “highly dangerous disease,” but a March 6 governor’s decree authorizing the culls has not been made public, fueling speculation about the true motives behind the operation. Rumors circulating online suggest the culls are intended to eliminate competition for larger agricultural producers, with some alleging the involvement of meat-producing giant Miratorg and its alleged owner, former President Dmitry Medvedev, though these claims remain unverified.
Authorities have cited outbreaks of rabies in the villages of Kolyvan and Gzhatsk, located approximately 370 kilometers apart, as justification for quarantine measures. The specific disease prompting the broader culls remains unspecified, leading to theories ranging from pasteurellosis – a curable bacterial infection – to a potential cover-up of a more lethal outbreak like foot-and-mouth disease.
The situation has attracted attention beyond the region. Influencer Victoria Bonya voiced her concerns on Instagram, questioning the government’s actions and calling for societal resistance. State Duma Deputy Mikhail Delyagin has reportedly requested an investigation by Russia’s top investigator, Alexander Bastrykin.
The scope of the culls extends beyond the Novosibirsk region, with Tatarstan’s head Rustam Minnikhanov announcing the identification of “dangerous animal infections” in at least 15 Russian regions, including republics in the Volga region and areas in Siberia. Losses to farmers due to the culls have already reached 1.5 billion rubles ($17.6 million) this month, according to the pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia.
While authorities have promised compensation of 70,000 rubles ($800) per 400-kilogram adult cow, farmers argue this is insufficient to cover their losses. Protesters in the Novosibirsk region have faced administrative fines, and at least two local journalists covering the issue have been questioned by police.
On Thursday, a police convoy arrived at the Vodoley collective farm in Kozikha, reportedly investigating it as a potential hotspot for the “highly dangerous disease.” The police left without taking action, but locals remain vigilant, bracing for a potential return.
Meanwhile, in separate regional developments, Farid Mukhametshin resigned as State Council Speaker of Tatarstan after more than 30 years in the position, to be replaced by his deputy, Marat Akhmetov. In the Komi republic, hairdresser-turned-opposition politician Oksana Bagirova was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of “justifying terrorism,” linked to social media comments about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Siberian branch have voiced opposition to a controversial apatite ore mining plan near Lake Baikal, citing concerns about potential pollution of the world’s largest freshwater lake.
At least 19 Russian regions have introduced healthcare funding cuts this year, including Irkutsk and Kemerovo in Siberia, according to the investigative outlet IStories.