April 8, 2026
Russia's agricultural oversight agency blames government missteps and harsh weather for livestock disease outbreak
Russia’s agricultural oversight agency blamed a livestock disease outbreak in the Novosibirsk region on government missteps, an atypical strain of pasteurellosis, a bacterial infection, and harsh weather. The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, known as Rosselkhoznadzor, issued the explanation in response to a formal inquiry from Yuri Sinelshchikov, a Communist Party (KPRF) member of the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, who had asked authorities to account for the mass illness among animals in the region. Ksenia Sobchak published the agency’s reply on her Telegram channel Krovavaya Barynya (Bloody Lady of the Manor).
TL;DR
- Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) blamed government missteps, an atypical strain of pasteurellosis, and harsh weather for a livestock disease outbreak in the Novosibirsk region.
- The agency cited the regional government's failure to act in time, lack of accurate livestock records, and unauthorized animal movements as contributing factors.
- The outbreak was further complicated by atypical strains of the pasteurellosis pathogen, severe weather, and weakened livestock immune systems.
- Rosselkhoznadzor stated that no new cases had been recorded for over 20 days and that the situation is under control.
- Previous widespread livestock disease outbreaks in Russia have resulted in animals being seized and killed, leading to farmer protests and speculation among experts that the actual disease could be more serious than reported, such as foot-and-mouth disease.
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