March 20, 2026

Russian Cattle in Danger


Russian Cattle in Danger
A rural scene. Alexei Malgavko

In Novosibirsk Oblast, authorities have begun detaining local residents who have been protesting the mass culling of livestock due to a disease outbreak. The outbreak began in February, when authorities began removing cattle from private farms and imposing quarantines. In March, residents of several villages began holding rallies, claiming that their healthy cows were being taken away. Indeed, human rights activist Yevgeny Stupin believes that the mass culling of livestock has nothing to do with infections, but rather with an attempt to seize the market segment currently held by private farms and transfer it to large agricultural holdings.

The publication Agenstvo noted that the last farmer protests in the country took place ten years ago. In 2016, a tractor march was held in Krasnodar against corporate raiding, and residents of occupied Crimea held a rally against a quarantine imposed due to African swine fever. Despite the fact that a war had already broken out on the border with Ukraine and the state was increasing pressure on citizens, the situation in the country was still quite different, and participating in such actions didn't seem particularly dangerous.

Today, Russians have become accustomed to the fact that any public statement can result in a prison sentence. Nevertheless, since late 2025, there has been a rise in local protests, mainly related to economic issues, such as the increase in the vehicle recycling fee or tax reform. With rare exceptions, such rallies are permitted; that is, activists notify the authorities in advance of their intention to hold an event and obtain the required permission. 

In contrast, the protests by Novosibirsk farmers are not only unauthorized but also involve resistance to government actions. Protesters are demanding to see the documents on the implementation of the quarantine and are blocking the passage of tractors that have arrived to take away the livestock. 

According to The Insider, people are not merely unhappy that their source of income is being taken away; they suspect officials of concealing the true causes of the cows’ illness. Officials report on the fight against rabies and pasteurellosis, yet they act as if the animals have hoof-and-mouth disease. The latter is a far more dangerous disease, requiring the strictest possible quarantine measures. Acknowledging the existence of such a problem would affect the region’s ability to export dairy and meat products. 

Indirect evidence of an attempt to conceal certain information is the fact that, among those detained is journalist Ivan Frolov, who had been covering the protests. While citizens are trying to defend their interests, Frolov is being investigated for “disseminating knowingly false information about circumstances posing a threat to the lives and safety of citizens.”

 

You Might Also Like

Two Villages

Two Villages

A tale of two villages and one dream about living in connection with the land.
Birthing Protest
  • February 10, 2026

Birthing Protest

Residents of one town are taking to the streets and writing letters to Putin, trying to keep pregnant women from having to travel to big cities to give birth.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955