In Novosibirsk, law enforcement officers detained an activist who was documenting the mass slaughter of livestock
In Novosibirsk, on the morning of August 13, FSB and OMON officers conducted a search of the apartment of activist Larisa Mikhailova, a representative of the so-called “Agrarian Council,” which was established by associates of conspiracy theorist Svetlana Lada-Rus.
After a three-hour search, Mikhailova was taken to the department for investigating particularly important cases.
The reason for her detention and any potential charges have not yet been officially disclosed.
According to the activist’s daughter, law enforcement officers began cutting through the door almost immediately after knocking.
She linked her mother’s detention to her civic activism, specifically her coverage of the situation surrounding the mass seizure and culling of farm animals in the Novosibirsk region.
In the spring of 2026, Mikhailova accompanied farmers, appealed to government agencies, and covered protests against the seizure and slaughter of livestock.
In particular, she recorded meetings between farmer Svetlana Panina and officials. One such video went viral online. In it, Andrei Shindelov, the Minister of Agriculture of the Novosibirsk Region, is seen running away from Panina, who was trying to get an explanation regarding the confiscation of her animals.
In February and March 2026, livestock was seized and destroyed from farmers and other owners in several districts of the Novosibirsk Region.
Local authorities initially explained these measures as necessary to combat the spread of a dangerous disease. Later, the official reason given was pasteurellosis, which had allegedly mutated.
The authorities’ decisions sparked protests by farmers and numerous appeals to officials.
Larisa Mikhailova was also involved in political and civic activities. In 2024, she ran for the Novosibirsk City Council as an independent candidate but was denied registration.
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It is currently unknown under which criminal case the activist was detained or whether any official charges have been brought against her.
Earlier in Kazakhstan, opposition activist Marat Zhanuzakov was detained during a visit to the country by Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to reports, the man posted a photo of himself holding a protest sign with anti-Putin and pro-Ukrainian slogans, including “Glory to Ukraine.” He was subsequently detained.
Russian law enforcement officials have for the first time issued a federal warrant for a person linked to the so-called case of “participation in the international LGBT movement,” which has previously been designated as “extremist” in Russia. The individual in question is activist Vadim Vaganov, against whom, according to him, criminal proceedings have already been opened amid numerous administrative cases and fines, Russian media report.
