Russia culls livestock in Siberia on a massive scale, denies FMD rumours

An outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Russia on the suspected scale would likely require the entire country to be declared a quarantine zone. Photo: Twan Wiermans

Over the past several weeks, Russian veterinary authorities have been seizing and culling livestock across at least 10 regions in Siberia, dealing a significant blow to the region’s dairy sector.

Officials say the measures are aimed at containing outbreaks of pasteurellosis and rabies. However, farmers argue that the scale and urgency of the campaign are disproportionate, raising suspicions that authorities may be attempting to conceal a wider outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD).

According to various estimates, up to 100,000 head of cattle, small ruminants and pigs could be culled in what would be an unprecedented campaign.

In a series of videos posted on Russian social media, farmers claim animals are being seized and destroyed without prior testing and with unusual haste.

FMD concerns mount

The Russian livestock industry is increasingly concerned about with this, with some market participants suggesting that officials may, in fact, be responding to a large-scale FMD outbreak.

“Pasteurellosis isn’t particularly dangerous and doesn’t require large-scale slaughter, whereas FMD carries serious risks,” an anonymous industry source told business daily Kommersant.

Several other unnamed sources echoed these concerns, saying the possibility of FMD is causing growing anxiety within the sector. Authorities, however, have consistently denied any link to FMD.

If confirmed, an outbreak of the disease could deal a severe blow to Russia’s livestock export potential. Kazakhstan has already closed its border to Russian livestock products, and farmers fear that China could follow suit, Kommersant reported.

Dairy exports at risk

China has become an increasingly important market for Russian agriculture in recent years, particularly for pork producers, and is also seen as a promising destination for dairy exports. In 2025, Russia exported dairy products worth US$500 million, up 13% year-on-year. While most shipments still go to post-Soviet countries, exporters have been actively expanding into markets such as China, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

An outbreak of FMD on the suspected scale would likely require the entire country to be declared a quarantine zone, according to Russian epidemiologist Mikhail Favorov. “No one wants to announce FMD, but they want to fight it. So, they slaughter all the animals – and there won’t be any FMD,” Favorov said on social media.

Conspiracy theories

At the same time, some farmers suspect that Russia’s largest agricultural holdings could be benefiting. In online videos, they claim major players may be using administrative leverage to eliminate smaller competitors, who still account for the majority of raw milk production in the country.