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Siberian farmer threatens to set himself on fire if his livestock are euthanized

Farmer Petr Polozhaev from the village of Chernokurye in the Novosibirsk region doused himself with gasoline and threatened to commit self-immolation if his livestock were destroyed. This was reported by Daria Mironenko, a resident of the village of Kozikha. Yesterday evening, veterinarians and police arrived at the Polozhaev family's home to euthanize the livestock. The head of the family climbed onto the roof of a barn, doused himself with gasoline, and threatened to set himself on fire: "I am Petr Polozhaev. I have been farming for 35 years. Yesterday, they came to destroy my livestock. I doused myself with gasoline, the equipment turned around and left. I am expecting them again today. March 22nd. It's almost lunchtime, they should arrive again. If they destroy my livestock, I will be left without a livelihood. I will have to burn myself after all," the man said on video. According to the family, their livestock is vaccinated and healthy. The authorities have not shown any documents indicating animal diseases. The governor of the Novosibirsk region stated today that "no new cases of pasteurellosis have been recorded in the region for seventeen days," but to stabilize the situation, it is necessary to "strictly implement all quarantine measures, including the seizure of infected livestock."

Deserters Not Expected. Russians Who Refused to Fight Against Ukraine May Be Denied Entry to the EU. They Want to Be Equated With Other Participants of the War

In recent years, only a few dozen former Russian soldiers who refused to fight against Ukraine have managed to obtain asylum in the European Union. Now, this possibility may be completely closed: leaders of eight EU countries have called for stricter visa rules for all Russians involved in the war. 'Novaya-Europe' spoke with human rights activists and deserters about what will happen to those Russians who decide to leave the army if the EU makes this decision. Illustration: 'Novaya Gazeta Europe'. Long-term risk. The leaders of Germany, Poland, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Sweden are calling for the EU to tighten visa rules for Russians who participated in the war in Ukraine, according to Politico. They wrote a letter to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warning that Russian aggression poses long-term internal security risks to the EU's Schengen area. They argue that demobilized combatants or those on rotation may try to travel to EU countries, which, in turn, would contribute to the growth of organized crime and violent crime. Representatives of these countries note that the number of visas issued to Russian citizens is also increasing. As Politico writes, in 2025, Russians submitted up to 670,000 Schengen visa applications, making them among the top five countries with the highest number of applications for entry into the EU. Approximately four out of five applicants received a visa. 'Any such entry could have serious consequences for the security of a Member State or the entire Schengen area,' the letter states. The signatories urge the European Commission to prepare 'targeted visa restrictions' and explore the possibility of amending EU rules to allow for coordinated entry bans. In recent years, EU countries have already tightened access: most visas are now issued for shorter periods and with limited validity. Remaining in Armenia. New rules could significantly complicate life for deserters from the Russian army seeking refuge in Europe. Some of them, however, settle in Armenia. For example, our interviewee Oleg (the hero's name has been changed for security reasons. - Ed.) lives there. In his youth, he wanted to become a military intelligence officer and tried to enter a military school; in the end, he served his compulsory service as a tank driver-mechanic and after that decided not to connect his life with the army anymore. In the summer of 2022, a tragedy occurred in his family: his father died after an illness. Some time later, Oleg received a mobilization notice. At that moment, he was in a severe psychological state and, according to him, did not want to worry his mother further. He hoped he would be sent to the rear, but in reality, he was sent to the front in the 'LPR,' where he became a medic. He was involved in evacuating the wounded and faced losses daily. Over time, he began to emotionally detach himself from what was happening. After one of the shelling incidents, when there were many dead and wounded around, he finally decided that he did not want to stay at war. After some time, he managed to escape: he left his position in civilian clothes, reached Luhansk, and then traveled to the border with the help of fellow travelers. At customs, he presented himself as a civilian specialist; he was checked and allowed through. Upon returning to Russia, he told his mother about his desertion, went into hiding, tried to work, but faced serious psychological consequences. After some time, he was detained by law enforcement officers and taken to a military unit. There, he was told directly that they could either put him in a pre-trial detention center or send him back to the front. When he was released for a medical examination, he took advantage of this and decided to flee for good. Oleg gathered his documents, took money, and flew out of the country through Moscow. As a result, he ended up in Armenia. He was briefly detained at the border there because a wanted notice had once appeared in the system, but he was released after verification. He now lives outside of Russia, works remotely, and is trying to recover from his experiences. He says he sleeps better and feels more freedom, although he is still unsure if he will ever be able to return home. Oleg told 'Novaya-Europe' that he has applied for political asylum in Armenia. In general, according to him, he is comfortable there: 'The attitude here is normal. Everyone here understands perfectly what is happening and treats people like me normally.' He speaks negatively about the new initiative of EU leaders. According to him, deserters will have fewer 'room for maneuver.' At the same time, he believes that countries like Armenia will remain that 'will continue to accept people.' 'If the EU completely restricts entry for war participants without investigation, without due process, without individual review, then it is sad. People who know this but still want to desert from the Russian army will take this into account. And there is a possibility that this will become one of the reasons that will deter them from the thought of deserting,' the interlocutor of 'Novaya-Europe' emphasizes. At the same time, he notes that the EU has the right 'to consider us all criminals and not let us in': 'But again, it will lead to nothing good.' 'If the task is for people to desert from the Russian army, to reduce the military potential of the occupier's army, i.e., the Russian army, then, on the contrary, something must be done to attract people, so that they see that there are broader opportunities.' Anastasia Burakova, founder of the 'Ark' project, notes that military personnel in Russia typically do not have foreign passports: either they did not obtain one, or they surrendered it upon entering military service. According to her, this is the main factor in 'choosing' a country: one can enter Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan with a domestic passport. However, the latter are much less safe, with a higher risk of extradition or abduction, the expert points out. 'In the context of deserters, it is not easy to get anywhere; people injure themselves, shoot parts of their bodies to be able to flee the front through a hospital. Armenia does not take actions aimed at real extradition, so staying there is safer, but due to the absence of a land border, fleeing to Armenia is more difficult than to Kazakhstan,' explains Burakova. The path to Europe. Many deserters still try to get as far away from Russia as possible. For example, Alexander managed to get to France. Alexander entered a military academy at 18, largely due to parental pressure and because he could not afford paid education. In early 2022, he was sent for training to annexed Crimea, which turned out to be preparation for the invasion of Ukraine. On February 24, he crossed the Ukrainian border with his unit and found himself on the front lines, where he realized almost immediately that the army was not ready for war. Alexander worked as a communications specialist, constantly traveling between positions under fire, and narrowly escaped death several times. After several months of war, he decided to leave the army for good and, upon receiving leave, returned to Russia. When mobilization was announced in September 2022 and it became clear that he would be sent to the front again, he bought a ticket and fled through Omsk to Kazakhstan. He lived in Kazakhstan for almost two years. He was on the wanted list there, tried not to use banking services, and appeared in public very rarely, fearing detention or extradition. During this time, he met with human rights activists and other deserters and helped verify the stories of Russian soldiers who also fled the army. Later, together with a group of deserters, he began to publicly speak out against the war and participate in human rights initiatives. After a year and a half of negotiations with European organizations, six deserters, including Alexander, received special entry documents and were able to fly to France via Istanbul, where they applied for political asylum. Alexander's case is not the only one. Before the war, Kamil studied astronomy, repaired equipment, and did not plan a military career. In 2023, he was detained on drug charges. According to him, he was offered a choice: prison or a contract. He agreed to the contract, planning to escape. After a short training, he was sent to the Donetsk region. There he was wounded and then transferred to a unit he calls a 'suicide battalion,' where problematic fighters were sent. Realizing that he would be sent to the front again, Kamil decided to desert. He shot himself in the leg to be evacuated and ended up in a hospital in Russia. When it became clear that he was about to be returned to his unit, he escaped and went to Kazan. He hid and received treatment for several months, rarely leaving home. When he recovered, he left Russia via Georgia and only felt safe after crossing the border. He chose France almost by chance: he also considered Germany and Italy, but decided to try this country. Upon arrival in Paris, he told the migration police his story and applied for political asylum. He was issued a temporary document that allows him to live in the country, use medical insurance, and receive benefits. Kamil now lives in Nice, is learning French, and plans to find a job. He says that for the first time in a long time, he feels calm: there is no longer a fear of being stopped or sent back to the front. Justice for deserters. Grigory Sverdlid, head of the human rights project 'Go Away' ('Idite Lesom'), explains that the number of people trying to desert the Russian army is increasing. This year, the number of requests to 'Go Away' for help in deserting the Russian army has increased by 30%. By his estimate, in January and February alone, 'Go Away' helped 248 people desert and go into hiding. According to him, the EU countries' security concerns regarding the arrival of deserters are unfounded. 'The war has been going on for five years, a certain number of Russian deserters have been in Europe for a long time, and I haven't heard of a single case of serious offenses on their part,' Sverdlid emphasized. He also points out that he sees nothing wrong with 'thoroughly vetting applicants and preventing individuals involved in aggression from entering the Schengen area' in itself. In his opinion, the issue is how exactly this will be implemented. For example, about 85% of those whom 'Go Away' helps to desert have not yet participated in the war and have not even been in the occupied territories. Sverdlid questions whether European visa centers will examine such details or simply deny everyone who has been in the Russian army. He suggests that in practice, the latter option will be implemented. 'It would be right to create a separate 'track' for Russian deserters and draft dodgers to obtain refugee status. These people risk ending up in a Russian prison - they face up to 15 years in prison under the article for desertion. Creating a working procedure for obtaining political asylum for deserters would increase the number of deserters from the Russian army and thus help Ukraine,' Sverdlid proposed. The coordinator of the human rights project InTransit previously told 'Novaya-Europe' that the attitude towards Russian deserters in Europe has already become noticeably harsher than in the early years of the war. According to him, the Baltic and Northern European countries are generally not ready to accept such people; sometimes asylum seekers may be sent back across the border. He notes that only a few countries in the EU - for example, Germany, France, and Spain - consider deserters' asylum applications relatively normally. However, even there, we are talking only about dozens of cases, while most such people remain in transit countries like Armenia. Anastasia Burakova, in a comment to 'Novaya-Europe,' points out that Estonia, for example, has already introduced an individual entry ban for those who fought against Ukraine. The first list includes 261 people, and the ban for them will remain in force even after the active hostilities end. 'Last summer, the Baltic and Nordic countries met and discussed such a measure. Overall, this is a step towards individual, not collective, responsibility and assessment of public danger. I think other EU countries may soon adopt this,' Burakova said. At the same time, 'Ark,' together with 'Go Away,' is currently discussing making proposals to 'provide for the possibility of exceptions for those who have not committed war crimes, often have not even reached the front, fled, or were not voluntarily admitted to the army.' 'Such people often become important witnesses for the investigation of war crimes. For example, deserters whom we help provided information for the latest UN report,' notes the interlocutor of 'Novaya-Europe.' Grigory Sverdlid recalls that Germany currently has monuments to deserters from the Nazi army. For example, in 2009, in Cologne, on the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II, a monument to Wehrmacht deserters and other victims of Nazi military justice was unveiled. Monuments are also erected in Hamburg, Hanover, and Vienna. 'It would be good to treat people who refuse to fight Ukraine fairly, right now,' says Sverdlid, 'instead of erecting monuments to them in 50 years.'

The Epidemic That Cannot Be Named. Authorities' Silence on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Could Trigger Mass Cattle Deaths Across the Country. "Novaya Gazeta Europe" Investigation

The situation with mass culling of livestock in Russia has spiraled out of control. Authorities in several regions are dispatching veterinarians, accompanied by police, to private farms to confiscate, kill, and burn dozens of cows and other domestic animals. Farmers are fainting, threatening self-immolation, attempting to hide their livestock, and recording appeals to Putin. Officials offer little explanation for their actions. Conspiracy theories are spreading nationwide. "Novaya Gazeta Europe" managed to speak with a representative of an agroholding operating in the Novosibirsk region. He claims that owners of large herds know the answer to what is happening: an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease, a highly contagious and dangerous animal illness, has begun in Russia. As long as officials do not acknowledge this, more than half of the regions will be unable to begin preventive vaccinations. Businesses fear a nationwide livestock die-off. Illustration: Rina Lu / "Novaya Gazeta Europe". Editorial Note: The material contains profanity. What you will learn from this investigation: The agroholding conspiracy doesn't seem to exist after all: large companies have destroyed thousands, and some tens of thousands, of heads of cattle; How the infection started in February and how it spread; Why farmers were kept in the dark; Why it is so important for authorities to keep it a secret; Why the epidemic could spread across Russia. — Agroholdings understood everything pretty quickly, — says a representative of a livestock farm in the Novosibirsk region with over a thousand head of cattle. The interlocutor of "Novaya Gazeta Europe" wished to remain anonymous. Authorities have already made many efforts to conceal the real reasons for the mass culling of livestock in the Novosibirsk region, despite the large-scale scandal. Therefore, anyone who reveals details about what actually happened risks incurring their wrath. Big business in Russia is heavily dependent on government decisions, and coercive methods are widely used against businesses. The account of the "Novaya-Europe" interlocutor is internally consistent. To confirm some facts, the source provided documents, and some are also confirmed by open data. This account sheds light on how the situation developed in the Novosibirsk region, why farmers were left without livestock and without any explanations from officials, and what the danger of this conspiracy of silence is. Illustrative photo. Source: Sergey Ilyitsky / EPA. How the situation in the Novosibirsk region developed from late January to March — We encountered problems starting in February, — says the agroholding representative. — Veterinarians at large enterprises regularly conduct examinations and usually quickly detect animal diseases. The clinical signs of foot-and-mouth disease are quite clear. Naturally, we all read the rules, so the sequence of actions is very simple: you call the veterinary service, and they take samples. The procedure for agroholdings is clearly defined and known to everyone. The interlocutor of "Novaya-Europe" reported that the state veterinary service soon confirmed the suspicions of the veterinarians working at the production facilities. According to him, large farms faced the fact that the only way to cope with the epidemic was the complete destruction of the entire focus even before the farmers did. They have been doing this since February. — We didn't want to kill anyone either. But then it turned out that the infection had spread beyond the region. And it spread very quickly. Unfortunately, there is still only one way to deal with this disease: complete liquidation and burning of the focus. That is, they burn everywhere — in Europe, in America. They burn here. "Large farms, according to our interlocutor, destroyed cows and pigs by the thousands. But, unlike small farms, they did this voluntarily and without attracting public attention. To confirm his words, the source provided correspondence with regional officials regarding possible compensation for damages due to forced destruction of livestock. The correspondence refers to significant sums. "Novaya-Europe" cannot disclose the figures to avoid revealing the scale of the farm in question. — So, if we are talking about an agroholding conspiracy, then we were not included in this conspiracy, — concludes the large livestock breeder. When several cases of foot-and-mouth disease were detected at large enterprises, the authorities decided to conduct studies throughout the region. — After [the detection of] major outbreaks, widespread testing began, and some kind of quarantine was introduced. That is, when they realized there were a number of outbreaks, they started checking all the houses, — says the agroholding representative. — And then they went specifically to those with positive test results. Indeed, in early March, quarantine began to be declared in some villages of the Novosibirsk region. Roads were blocked by checkpoints, but no official document on the introduction of restrictions was published anywhere. Officials, in conversations with local residents, referred to them as for internal use only. From the very beginning, officials decided to maintain a heightened level of secrecy. Checkpoint at the entrance to the village of Novopichugovo during quarantine, Novosibirsk region, March 17, 2026. Photo: Alexander Kryazhev / Sputnik / Imago Images / Scanpix / LETA. Why it is so important for officials to hide the epidemic In May 2025, Russia received the status of a country free from foot-and-mouth disease. This helps Russian exports, and the country does not want to lose it. This status is granted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) — an organization under the World Trade Organization (WTO), of which Russia has been a member since 2012. — What's the point of all this secrecy? — says our interlocutor. — It's about the fact that the country has certain international obligations that we have violated. As a member of the WTO, Russia is obliged to report confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease in domestic animals. And from that moment on, the country loses its status as disease-free. The order of the Ministry of Agriculture indeed obliges any laboratory to notify the OIE of foot-and-mouth disease cases within 24 hours. This order is based on the International Animal Health Code, which Russia has signed and ratified. If there is an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a country, other countries may ban the import of meat and dairy products from it. Russia itself does the same: for example, in 2025, Rosselkhoznadzor banned the import of meat products from the EU due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. At the same time, the pace of Russian meat exports has been steadily growing recently. Thus, in 2025, Rosselkhoznadzor recorded a historical maximum, with 820,000 tons of meat products exported abroad. The main importing countries include Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, and the Middle East. An epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease, if confirmed, could significantly impact Russian meat producers. — For the pig industry, exports are currently a major incentive because Russia's self-sufficiency in meat already exceeds 100%. World markets provide opportunities for companies to grow and increase profits. In addition, exports allow less sought-after parts of the carcass in Russia to be sold at more favorable prices, — "Novaya-Europe" was told at the National Meat Association. — Restricting such exports would be a serious blow to the industry. [The status of a country free from foot-and-mouth disease] is important for any country, not just Russia. Moreover, if the OIE status is lost, it is not so easy to regain it. Commission meetings are held once a year. In addition, it is necessary to first eliminate the outbreak, then conduct mass vaccination, prove that there are no new outbreaks for a long time, and collect a huge package of documents. This can take several years. — I am struck in this story by the scale of the efforts aimed at preserving this status. One can fight so hard only for something one is very interested in for some reason. And here we are primarily thinking about large meat exporters, for whom this is important, — says the agroholding representative. „ — We have never in our lives seen our Ministry of Agriculture and our respected comrades fight for something like this. However, while helping Russian exports, officials have driven small farms in several regions of the country to despair. — In fact, we don't know what the situation was with small farmers, — says the source in the agroholding. — Small farmers did not report problems with their livestock to the veterinary services themselves. Perhaps this is due to the peculiarities of how foot-and-mouth disease manifested in the Novosibirsk region. Illustrative photo. Source: Sergey Ilyitsky / EPA. Why did such a scandal erupt in the Novosibirsk region The situation began to spiral out of control in the first weeks of March when authorities started visiting small farms. Officials provided almost no public explanation for their actions. From fragmented information from the farmers themselves, the following picture can be reconstructed: initially, veterinarians came to the farms and took samples without much fuss — this did not raise particular questions among local residents. Some farmers also say that mass vaccinations were administered to the animals. State services did not explain what they were for, and farmers did not particularly inquire. Then, quarantine was imposed in some villages, and entry and exit were blocked. The culling began. Livestock were destroyed in the absence of their owners, forcibly taken away with the help of the police. Farmers were not shown any documents, and in conversations, they referred to an epidemic of pasteurellosis (another common animal infection) or rabies. Pasteurellosis has since become the main official version of officials across Russia. However, pasteurellosis is a relatively harmless infection that is easily treated with antibiotics and does not require culling of animals (except for birds). This is confirmed by numerous experts, and it is stated in the order of the Ministry of Agriculture itself. A veterinary service employee disinfects a car in the village of Novopichugovo, Novosibirsk region, March 17, 2026. Photo: Alexander Kryazhev / Sputnik / Imago Images / Scanpix / LETA. In the absence of clear explanations from officials, farmers tried to hide their livestock, recorded video appeals to the president, and threatened to burn themselves along with their animals. During the culling, both the livestock owners and the veterinarians who came to kill the cows became ill. Officials arrived at the culling sites with police and riot police. The most active villagers who tried to stop the killing of cows were detained. „ — Officials handled it very poorly. I can't imagine how one could handle a region so poorly. It's a complete disaster, — assesses the actions of the Novosibirsk authorities the agroholding representative. — Initially, they wanted to do everything as quietly as possible, so that the fire was small and no one noticed anything, — says the "Novaya-Europe" interlocutor. — No one expected such a scale. They did not expect such rapid development because animals in the Novosibirsk region are regularly vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease. One of the theories that was widely spread on social media even suggested that the cause was low-quality vaccines. But the agroholding representative says the reason is different. A new strain of the disease has arrived in the region, which has not been present in Russia before, and the vaccinations are ineffective against it. Veterinarian epidemiologist, Candidate of Veterinary Sciences Svetlana Shchepkina also expressed this opinion in a conversation with the publication "Takie Dela". According to the "Novaya-Europe" source, animals tolerate this new strain of foot-and-mouth disease differently than other types, more easily. — Why are the peasants, why are the farmers so worried? They say: they are taking away our healthy animals! What do the peasants see on their farms: the animal is absolutely healthy, milk yield is not falling. I understand why they are in shock: your cow had a fever for three days — and that's it! She has no other symptoms. And yet, some people came, took samples, said nothing. Then they came and said, like, we are confiscating the livestock and liquidating it. Of course, damn it, it's hysteria! According to another version, animals in the Novosibirsk region are experiencing foot-and-mouth disease milder than usual, not so much due to the strain's characteristics, but because the vaccine regularly used in the Novosibirsk region worked well. — It's like with flu or COVID in humans: vaccination makes the course of the disease milder, — paraphrases the agroholding representative another version that is informally discussed by veterinarians and officials. At the same time, even animals that have recovered from foot-and-mouth disease but did not die remain carriers of the disease for a long time. Scientific articles indeed state that vaccination can contribute to a milder course of the disease. It is impossible to definitively determine why the disease is spreading so rapidly and progressing without the usual severe symptoms without laboratory studies, and these are classified. The heightened secrecy chosen by officials has not only led farmers to rebellion. It creates large-scale risks that could lead to a nationwide livestock die-off. To understand this, one must understand how the OIE's regional classification for foot-and-mouth disease works. The Danger of Official Silence The infection has long spread beyond the Novosibirsk region. Farmers in the Altai Republic, Penza, Tomsk regions, and Transbaikalia have complained about mass livestock culling. Authorities in Tatarstan recently let slip that foci of a "dangerous infection" have been identified in 15 regions of Russia. In reality, the scale may be even larger. "Novaya-Europe" analyzed reports in regional Telegram channels and local media. According to our analysis, information about a "dangerous infection" or an "epidemic of pasteurellosis," which authorities have chosen as an official euphemism for the real disease, has appeared in the news in at least 18 regions. But the greatest danger is that foot-and-mouth disease could spread to the northern and central regions of Russia. They have a special OIE status, which, on the one hand, is the most advantageous for export, but on the other hand, leaves animals defenseless against infection. Thus, the OIE can assign a country one of three statuses: a country not free from foot-and-mouth disease; a country free from foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination; a country free from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. There are also statuses at the regional level. Thus, by the decision of the international OIE, Russia as a whole is a country free from the disease, but 55 Russian regions are free from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, and 33 regions are recognized as free but must carry out vaccination (the latter include the Novosibirsk region). The status of "no vaccination" is the most favorable. It allows regions to export any meat or dairy products, including those not subjected to thermal processing. On the other hand, according to OIE rules, vaccination is strictly prohibited in such territories. The fact is that many foot-and-mouth disease tests cannot distinguish between a real infection and a vaccine administered to an animal. — To protect the entire livestock population in the country, vaccinations are needed now! — says the "Novaya-Europe" source in the agroholding. — And of course, the fact that we now have regions where vaccination of all farms is prohibited is very frightening. That is, the owner, in principle, wants to vaccinate everyone everywhere, in all regions, to provide at least some protection. But this is not allowed again, because of the status. There are attempts to informally persuade officials to conduct vaccination in all regions. But so far, there has been a complete refusal. — Everyone is afraid. Everyone is very afraid that there will be a mass livestock die-off, — says the livestock breeder. — At the same time, there is some belief that we will contain all this now and continue to live as if nothing happened, and nothing terrible will happen! But if it spreads to regions where animals cannot be vaccinated, it will be a complete disaster. It will be possible to close the business altogether. With the participation of Alexey Stepanov and Alesya Sokolova.

Novosibirsk Cows Burned Alive - Takie Dela

During a mass slaughter of livestock in the Novosibirsk region, animals were not anesthetized or given painkillers before being killed, and were in fact burned alive. This is stated in an investigation by "Takie Dela." During the destruction of livestock, the drugs "Ditilin" and "Adilin" - curare-like muscle relaxants - were used. They cause instant paralysis of the muscles but do not shut down brain activity. The animals remained fully conscious, experiencing suffocation and panic, but could not move, journalists write, citing several sources and experts. "Imagine: you cannot inhale or exhale, but you are fully conscious because your brain is working - and in this state of horror, you die," said Alexey Ermakov, director of the Institute of Living Systems at DSTU. There are currently no drugs for humane euthanasia of infected animals in Russia. Furthermore, during the mass slaughter of livestock, authorities used a small dose of curare-like drugs - temporarily paralyzing the animals but not killing them. "This cannot be called euthanasia, because it is a voluntary way of leaving life, and now there is a mass murder. I am standing here and crying. They called me from there and asked: 'Why do they scream when they are being burned?'" said veterinarian-epizootologist Svetlana Shchepyotkina to journalists. World methodological recommendations for humane euthanasia, adopted in the USA and the CIS, state that the use of curare-like drugs for killing animals is "categorically prohibited."

Protest Against Livestock Culling Held in Novosibirsk Despite Organizer's Detainment

The "No to Punitive \"Veterinary\"!" action against mass livestock culling took place in Novosibirsk at the entrance to the square near the \"Globus\" theater, according to the Russian Communist Party (Internationalists). Several dozen people attended. A tractor for snow removal was brought into the square, and police stated that holding a rally there during its operation would be illegal. As a result, the rally was held at the entrance. It is reported that security forces did not disperse the event, and no arrests of protesters were reported. Earlier in the morning, one of the organizers, activist Sergey Krupinko, was detained on his way to the rally. The situation with mass livestock culling in Russia has gotten out of control. Authorities are sending veterinarians accompanied by police squads to private farms, who are confiscating, killing, and burning dozens of cows and other farm animals. There is an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in Russia, believes a representative of a Novosibirsk agro-holding company with whom \"Novaya Yevropa\" spoke. Until officials acknowledge this, more than half of the regions will not be able to start using vaccinations for prevention.

Village protest. Mass slaughter of livestock in the Novosibirsk region is compared to collectivization on social media

Livestock is being seized and destroyed on a massive scale from residents of the Novosibirsk region. Cows are being burned by the hundreds on village territories. Officials tell local residents nothing, only citing some particularly dangerous disease. Driven to despair, some have even begun slaughtering their own livestock to avoid handing it over to officials for burning. Many are actively protesting; local police fine participants of rallies, and local authorities try to intimidate them. On social media, some compare the events to the collectivization and "dekulakization" of the 1930s. Historian Rustam Alexander recalls what the confrontation between officials and peasants looked like almost a century ago. Illustration: Rina Lu / "Novaya Gazeta Europe". In the winter of 1929-1930, the Soviet government began the so-called "collectivization" in the villages. Rural residents, who until then had their own land, cows, and horses and could work for themselves, were now required to merge their lands and livestock into a single collective farm (kolkhoz) and give their harvest to the state for a nominal price. This was how the state hoped to increase grain procurements and solve the problem of grain shortages. Officials promised peasants that under collective farming, yields would increase. But peasants perceived collectivization as an attempt at exploitation, as working for oneself was much more profitable. Almost simultaneously, the state launched a campaign of "dekulakization" – confiscating property from wealthy peasants and sending them into exile. Local officials lacked clear instructions on how to carry out collectivization. Workers from district and village councils, urban communists and Komsomol members, as well as workers and students sent to the countryside, were involved. These individuals had no local ties and could therefore implement collectivization more effectively and strictly. However, many of them understood nothing about agriculture. Representatives of the authorities held special meetings in the villages, where peasants were to be forced by any means necessary to sign documents agreeing to transfer their farms – lands and livestock – to the state; it was important for the Soviet government that the process appeared "democratic." Many peasants were skeptical and did everything they could to disrupt such events. For instance, at one meeting, as signing began, elderly women burst in singing "Christ is Risen!" Someone would run in with news that there was a fire in a neighboring village and they needed to go put it out. Sometimes children would run into collectivization meetings shouting, "Uncle, uncle, your horse has been stolen!" All of this, of course, disrupted the signing process. Some protests took completely unexpected forms. For example, in one region, where government representatives went from house to house describing the property of peasants to be transferred to the state, one woman met the officials completely naked, saying, "Go ahead, describe it." Witnesses in a peasant's yard searching for bread in one of the villages of the Grishinsky district of the Donetsk region, 1930-1934. Photo: Wikimedia. The authorities' stance rapidly hardened: rural residents were told directly that those who refused to join the kolkhoz would be declared "kulaks," their property confiscated, and they themselves sent into exile. For instance, an official in the Urals traveled to villages accompanied by the head of the police, saying, "Whoever wants to join the kolkhoz – sign up with me, whoever doesn't – with the head of the police." Twelve people who refused to join were immediately arrested. Collectors often brandished revolvers, threatening to shoot peasants who resisted. Sometimes they arrived in villages with an orchestra: if a peasant agreed to join the kolkhoz, a triumphant march played, and in case of refusal – a funeral dirge. Other forms of pressure were widely used: peasants were summoned to village councils at night, where they could be held for several days and subjected to beatings. Despite attempts to present joining kolkhozes as a voluntary and even "democratic" procedure – with formal signature collection – in practice, everything was accompanied by arbitrariness. Horses and cows were taken without warning. One peasant woman recalled, "I went... for kerosene, returned home, and by that time the cow had already been taken away." Representatives of the authorities broke locks on barns and forcibly took away livestock. When state officials began to seize horses, cows, pigs, and sheep en masse from peasants, declaring them state property, many peasants resorted to desperate measures. Unwilling to give up their livestock, they slaughtered it themselves. The slaughter of livestock became one of the most widespread forms of protest against collectivization. For example, in the Central Black Earth Region, in the first three months of 1930 alone, about 25% of cattle, 53% of pigs, 55% of sheep, and 40% of poultry were destroyed. Peasants often understood themselves that the confiscated animals would likely perish due to unskilled and careless handling in the kolkhozes. On January 9, 1930, the newspaper "Pravda" published an article: "Repel the Maneuvers of the Class Enemy! Save Livestock for the Kolkhozes." The text stated: "The kulak, in response to the stormy kolkhoz movement... has launched frenzied agitation for the extermination of livestock... In a number of districts and regions, secret slaughterhouses have been discovered where Gostorg and Kozhtrest, bypassing the laws, kill livestock. City markets are literally flooded with fresh carcasses of meat, which are often sold for next to nothing. The situation is very alarming." The harsh and determined resistance from rural residents to attempts to seize their property for the kolkhoz initially forced the authorities to reckon with them. On March 2, 1930, the newspaper "Pravda" published Stalin's article "Dizzy with Success," in which the General Secretary shifted all responsibility for the excessively harsh implementation of collectivization in the villages to local leaders. A group of peasants working in the fields of their kolkhoz read magazines and newspapers during a break, May 28, 1930. Photo: AP / Scanpix / LETA. Stalin's article stunned the officials who were carrying out collectivization – for many of them, it was outright betrayal. For instance, one party secretary in the Volga region, after reading Stalin's article, got drunk out of grief and tore up his portrait in a fit of anger. The collectivization campaign was temporarily halted, and some local officials were condemned. Peasants rejoiced: many of them thought that Stalin's article was an official permission to leave the kolkhozes. In the following weeks, millions of peasants withdrew their signatures from the lists. However, the state did not intend to let anyone go: dekulakization continued, and soon collectivization was resumed – as historians now well know, at the cost of enormous human sacrifices and millions of ruined lives. Based on materials from: Sheila Fitzpatrick, "Stalin's Peasants. Social History of Soviet Russia in the 1930s: The Village" (Moscow: Rossspen, 2001).

“The system needs to change, otherwise we will end up as livestock instead of cows.” Pro-war bloggers even spoke out against the mass slaughter of cattle in Siberia

The slaughter of livestock in Siberian villages became one of those cases when the Russian pro-war public openly doubted the authorities' actions and spoke about what was happening with open irritation and conspiracy theories. Telegram channels of Z-bloggers are full of accusations against the Ministry of Agriculture, regional officials, and police officers. The authors, some of whom participated in the war against Ukraine, call what is happening “lawlessness,” “reprisals against small producers,” and suspect the concealment of a dangerous foot-and-mouth disease virus. Some also hint that the situation with the livestock slaughter is a deliberate sabotage in favor of large agricultural holdings. "Novaya-Europe" reports on how propagandists reacted to the situation and decided to dispute the state's line. Disinfection of a car in the village of Verkh-Irmen during quarantine, Novosibirsk region, March 17, 2026. Photo: Alexander Kryazhev / Sputnik / Imago Images / Scanpix / LETA. Warning, the text contains profanity. The last family in the village of Kozikha, where protests were held, agreed to the slaughter of livestock. In the Siberian village of Kozikha, whose residents protested against the mass slaughter of livestock, all animals were euthanized. The Mironenko family agreed to hand over their livestock for destruction under the pretext of fighting rabies and pasteurellosis. This was reported by the farmers' daughter Daria, adding that her parents "also gave up": "Kozikha is over. It is very difficult to talk about, but it is true. We are not heroes, we are ordinary people who could not. Who knows how you would have behaved in this situation," she said. Livestock were also destroyed from the farmer Petr Polozhaev from the village of Chernokurye, who had previously managed to drive away veterinarians and law enforcement officers from his yard by dousing himself with gasoline and threatening to set himself on fire. As the publication "Lyudi Baikal" wrote, the Polozhaev farm remained the only one in the entire village with live cows. All livestock were destroyed in the village of Novopichugovo, despite residents' protests. In Siberian villages, the mass slaughter of livestock has been going on for the second month. Farmers are told that this is due to a "dangerous disease," but they are not provided with any supporting documents. All this has generated a lot of conspiracy theories, which the publication "Veter" described in detail - from the fact that a dangerous foot-and-mouth disease is spreading across Russia, to the fact that a lobby of agricultural holdings is behind what is happening. These theses are repeated by the pro-war public, including “military correspondents” - propagandists in their Telegram channels. How propagandists criticize the authorities for the crackdown on farmers and opaque decisions. The version of the benefits for agricultural holdings and local authorities. The author of the pro-war Telegram channel "Trinadtsatyy" in his posts on March 21 expressed distrust towards the Ministry of Agriculture, Rosselkhoznadzor, and governors, and also pointed out that, in his opinion, "the higher-ups don't give a damn about ordinary people." The mass slaughter is beneficial to large agricultural holdings, such as "Miratorg," and lying to the population about the true reasons for the slaughter is "making things worse," he believes. The author of "Boevoy rezerv" expressed the opinion that only local agricultural holdings and local officials, who are "clearly in cahoots" with them, will profit from the mass slaughter. "The disposal procedure causes outrage among local residents: the carcasses of slaughtered animals lie near houses for several days before they are burned. In the village of Kozikha, the extermination of households has left people without a livelihood," he said. Z-blogger Alexey Zhivov in his post on March 17 commented on Dmitry Peskov's statement that the mass slaughter of livestock is "not excesses at the local level" and that the entire activity, as Zhivov put it, of "local animal abusers" is supervised by the federal Ministry of Agriculture. "Then the version of reprisals against small producers is more fitting to the situation," said Zhivov. Criticism of officials who do not provide explanations. The Telegram channel "Boevoy rezerv" on March 17 posted a video in which, it is claimed, Ukrainian war participant Anton Dolenko from the village of Chernokurye, Novosibirsk region, announced the intention of local authorities to seize his livestock, which he purchased with payouts for his injury. According to Dolenko, he is currently undergoing rehabilitation. "My vaccinated animals were not even tested, so there is no confirmation that they are sick. I also have not seen the governor's decree. As I was told, it is secret. The disease itself is also secret," he said in the video. The actions of law enforcement officers in seizing livestock are unfounded, cruel, and lead to economic disaster, and under the guise of safe pasteurellosis, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is hidden, believes the author of the Telegram channel "Trinadtsatyy." "People are furious because they are taking away their last belongings, explaining it with nonsense, and there is no real threat to humans officially (pasteurellosis is rarely dangerous). People are protesting: blocking roads with tractors, grandmothers stand "only over my dead body," OMON, fines. In the villages of Kozikha, Novoklyuchi, Novopichugovo - complete disaster, people are left without their livelihood. There hasn't been anything like this for half a century. Maybe enemies deliberately introduced the strain as biological weapons?" - believes the author of the Telegram channel "Trinadtsatyy" (spelling and punctuation preserved. - Ed.). Anastasia Kasherova, founder of the publication Daily Storm and former advisor to the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, also expressed indignation about the authorities' actions on March 19. In her opinion, the tragedy could have been avoided "if the authorities had treated people with respect." Policeman on duty at the entrance to the village of Novopichugovo, Novosibirsk region, March 17, 2026. Photo: Alexander Kryazhev / Sputnik / Imago Images / Scanpix / LETA. "I am from the village. From a place where a cow is a breadwinner. And how painful it is when your Yarka is killed before your eyes, without explanation. And they throw you 125 rubles per kilogram like a dog - "Here, serf, compensation." And in Novosibirsk, they showed the same brutish attitude towards people as towards animals. Why didn't anyone say, explain, elaborate? At the same time, people who demanded clarification of what was happening were fined," she writes. The Z-channel ZERGULIO is also actively covering the situation in the Novosibirsk region: in a post after March 9, he wrote that "officials do not show documents to people, do not name the disease, citing secrecy. What kind of secrecy is this? People are already gathering," he writes. Then ZERGULIO added that the whole situation reflects "chaos, negligence, and arrogance of officials": "How stupid do you have to be to come and take away people's hard-earned belongings, cows that feed the family, and "just forgot the documents [confirming the outbreak of the disease]." They just came, and without presenting any documents, citing secrecy, they take and destroy your livestock? Unbelievable, of course." In his opinion, the situation with the mass slaughter of livestock in the Novosibirsk region, Penza region, and other regions is "lawlessness and arbitrariness." Indignation over the detention of a war participant. Military man Ivan Oltrakovsky published a post on the morning of March 21 that the people of Kozikha "are under severe pressure." Then he posted several videos from the village, in which he spoke about how people are protecting their animals and how "inhumans in robes, supported by police," want to destroy all livestock. "I'm really ashamed of what's happening in the country. I didn't expect that I, a person who fought for our country, for our people, would go through such times. Have we really come to this? You must understand what kind of system this is, that it needs to be changed, otherwise we ourselves will end up as livestock," he said. As a result, he was detained by the police, and then he received a fine of four thousand rubles under the article on disobeying the police. Z-blogger "Trinadtsatyy" commented on Oltrakovsky's detention as follows: "Gentlemen police officers! Maybe stop doing nonsense?" asked the Z-blogger. There is also a supporter of the official version. The only Z-author who publicly supported the authorities is the military blogger-"foreign agent" Roman Alyokhin. He welcomes the intervention of the federal center and the start of payments to local residents, but questions why it was not done immediately. "The main question is: why did they delay? During hybrid wars, when internal stability in the country is much more important, this is simply unacceptable. And if they had immediately offered compensation not only for the cost of cows but also for lost profits, even without explaining the reasons, there would have been no rebellion, and citizens of Russia would not have had to be fined," he wrote. Alyokhin believes that what happened was not malicious intent ("reprisals against small producers"), but merely a consequence of the low professionalism of appointees (as he calls them, "outsiders") not connected with the region.