Headlines
Russia Says Multiple Cattle Illnesses Are Complicating Siberian Outbreak
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 20, 2026
3 min readLast updated: March 20, 2026
Quick Summary
Russian authorities say an outbreak of cattle diseases in Siberia—officially cited as pasteurellosis and rabies—is being aggravated by other unspecified illnesses, sparking mass culling, farmer protests, and speculation about foot-and-mouth disease that could threaten livestock exports.
Multiple Cattle Illnesses Complicate Siberian Outbreak and Spark Protests
Siberian Cattle Disease Outbreak: Causes, Response, and Impact
By Gleb Bryanski
Overview of the Outbreak
MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) - Russian authorities said on Friday "other diseases" were complicating an outbreak of cattle illness that has led to mass culling in Siberia, which they have blamed on pasteurellosis and rabies.
The culling of thousands of animals has sparked rare protests in wartime Russia and prompted calls by farmers for the resignation of top government officials overseeing agriculture.
Government Response and Challenges
Implementation of Culling Measures
"The veterinary services found it difficult to implement such unpopular measures," Sergei Dankvert, head of the government commission investigating the outbreak, said in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
"However, this concerns an outbreak of a dangerous infectious disease, pasteurellosis, complicated by other illnesses, and incurable rabies," he said, without specifying what the other illnesses were.
Concerns Over Foot-and-Mouth Disease
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), in a report published on Friday, cited "local sources and trading contacts" who alleged that "the scale of these measures may indicate an unconfirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease."
It added that the authorities' response to the outbreak "raised concerns about the adequacy of current vaccines and the potential impact on Russia's cattle trade".
Russia's agriculture ministry and its farming watchdog, which is headed by Dankvert, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the possibility of a foot-and-mouth outbreak.
Impact on Trade and Regional Measures
Export Bans and International Recognition
Russia obtained recognition from the World Organisation for Animal Health in 2025 as a foot-and-mouth-free territory. The highly contagious viral disease usually requires mass culling, and any confirmation of its presence could have a massive impact on Russian agricultural exports, which President Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to increase by 50% by 2030.
The FAS also published an official Russian document dated February 25 that indicated a ban on all livestock exports from 15 affected regions in Siberia and central Russia was in place.
Regional Emergency Declarations
The Novosibirsk region of Siberia declared a state of emergency to tackle the outbreak earlier this week, and officials attributed it to pasteurellosis - a severe bacterial pneumonia - and rabies.
Culls continued on Friday in the village of Kozikha, 70 km (45 miles) southwest of Novosibirsk, according to witness accounts and multiple videos from the area.
Public Reaction and Protests
Protest Actions and Detentions
One of the most prominent protesters, Svetlana Panina, who lost 150 head of cattle in the culling, posted a video saying she had been briefly detained for questioning as a witness in a case involving an arson attack at an animal burial site.
Mutation of Pasteurellosis and Further Risks
Dankvert said laboratory tests showed the pasteurellosis involved in the original outbreak had mutated and started to behave more aggressively than usual.
Necessity of Rapid Response
"In such a situation, the only way to stop the spread is the rapid removal and destruction of sick and suspect animals, as is done worldwide," he said.
(Writing by Gleb Bryanski; editing by Mark Trevelyan and Paul Simao)
Key Takeaways
- •Russia’s veterinary authorities cite mutated pasteurellosis and rabies in a Siberian cattle outbreak, leading to widespread quarantine and culling efforts to contain the contagion.
- •The U.S. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service report raises concerns that the scale of measures may point to a possible, though unconfirmed, foot‑and‑mouth disease outbreak, which would jeopardize Russia’s recently regained FMD‑free status.
- •The crisis has triggered rare public protests and heavy economic losses—estimated at around 1.59 billion rubles across several regions—highlighting tensions between disease control and farmer livelihoods.
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia says multiple cattle illnesses are complicating Siberian outbreak
1What diseases are involved in the Siberian cattle outbreak?
Russian officials report the outbreak is caused by pasteurellosis and rabies, potentially compounded by other unspecified illnesses. There are also external concerns about foot-and-mouth disease.
2How is the cattle disease outbreak affecting Russia’s livestock trade?
Authorities have banned all livestock exports from affected Siberian and central Russian regions, raising concerns about agricultural export targets.
3Why have there been protests related to the cattle culling in Siberia?
Mass culling of thousands of animals due to the outbreak has led to rare public protests and calls for resignations among agricultural officials.
4What official actions have been taken to contain the disease outbreak in Siberia?
Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Novosibirsk region and implemented mass culling and export bans to prevent disease spread.
5Has the nature of the disease mutated during the Siberian outbreak?
Officials stated the pasteurellosis strain involved has mutated and become more aggressive, necessitating rapid culling as a containment measure.
