Mass Culling of Livestock in Russia: Farmers Protest

Farmers in the Novosibirsk region and several other areas of Russia are protesting against mass culling of livestock. Authorities attribute this to outbreaks of rabies and pasteurellosis, but some residents, experts, and media outlets suggest that the underlying cause may be a more dangerous infection—the foot-and-mouth disease—which the authorities allegedly are not addressing directly. There is no official confirmation of this theory, according to Russian media.

Mass protests began in early March. Reports indicate that in some villages, residents have attempted to obstruct the culling process. People express their dissatisfaction not only with the lack of clear explanations from the authorities but also with the amount of compensation for the slaughtered livestock, which was a primary source of income for many.