Authorities in Russia's Irkutsk Region Seize Livestock After Skin Disease Outbreak
Officials in Russia's Irkutsk region have begun seizing and killing livestock following outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in two villages. Residents say the compensation offered is far too low.
Since September 4, local authorities in Russia's Irkutsk region have operated under a state of emergency after lumpy skin disease outbreaks were confirmed in the villages of Butyrki and Koty, according to the business daily Kommersant.
District head Leonid Frolov said eight separate outbreaks have been recorded, with the illegal importation of sheep and goats suspected as the likely source. Local media report the disease has been found in at least 96 cattle. Infected animals are being killed as part of the response.
Officials have pledged compensation to affected owners: 224 rubles per kilogram for cattle, 307 rubles per kilogram for sheep and goats, and 190 rubles per kilogram for pigs.
Residents push back
A video circulated by the Telegram channel Ostorozhno Novosti shows Butyrki residents telling officials at a public meeting that the compensation won't cover their actual losses, and demanding full payment for the animals' value. The outlet 7×7 additionally reported that residents object to livestock being destroyed close to their homes.
Such mass livestock seizures have become a recurring pattern across Russia over the past year. On August 12, authorities in the Tyumen region began seizing and killing pigs, citing an unidentified but "very dangerous" disease. In spring, the Kemerovo region saw mass cattle slaughter attributed to lumpy skin disease. Earlier, in February, livestock were seized from farmers in the Novosibirsk region, a case later traced to foot-and-mouth disease.
