An outbreak of a dangerous animal virus has broken out in Russia, but they are covering it up there
Large-scale measures to seize and urgently cull livestock have been implemented in a number of regions of the Russian Federation.
The actions taken by local authorities are fully in line with the international protocol for responding to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease—one of the most dangerous viral diseases.
The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection warns of the extreme danger posed by this disease.
Foot-and-mouth disease rapidly affects cloven-hoofed animals, particularly cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats, posing critical economic threats to the entire agricultural sector.
Official Russian authorities traditionally deny the existence of an epidemic, attempting to mislead the international community.
According to their version, the animals are allegedly suffering from pasteurellosis and rabies, with local authorities claiming “mutations” of these diseases that have no confirmation in global veterinary practice.
The radical nature of the measures taken, such as the mass burning of carcasses and strict quarantine restrictions, indicates an attempt to conceal foot-and-mouth disease itself.
Such actions are atypical for rabies or pasteurellosis, but are mandatory upon detection of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease virus to prevent its spread.
According to expert observations, the epidemic may have begun in the Siberian region and adjacent territories, gradually spreading to other regions.
Russia, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is deliberately ignoring its obligation to officially report cases of the disease, thereby violating international law.
“Since 1992, Ukraine has maintained its status as a foot-and-mouth disease-free country, which is crucial for stable exports and international trade,” the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection emphasizes.
Maintaining this status is a priority for Ukrainian agribusiness and requires enhanced border controls.
As a reminder, in villages in the Novosibirsk region of the Russian Federation, local residents are convinced that the mass culling of their livestock is a planned sabotage operation.
Russian authorities have destroyed nearly $20 million worth of livestock belonging to Siberian farmers.
The last farming family in the village of Kozikha in the Novosibirsk region, which had long resisted local authorities, agreed to hand over their livestock for destruction.
