Russia must promptly inform the international community about confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease

The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection of Ukraine is intensively and continuously monitoring the epizootic situation regarding foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) both in neighboring countries and globally. FMD is one of the most dangerous viral diseases affecting animals, spreading rapidly among cloven-hoofed livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, etc.) and posing serious economic threats to the entire livestock sector.

According to international sources citing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) analytics, large-scale measures to cull and destroy livestock are being reported in several regions of the Russian Federation. The nature of these actions aligns more closely with standard foot-and-mouth disease response protocols than with other reported animal diseases, raising justified concerns among the international veterinary community.

At the same time, official Russian services deny the presence of FMD, attributing the situation to pasteurellosis, rabies, and even claiming “mutations” of these diseases — despite no confirmed cases of such events in global practice. Experts emphasize that large-scale quarantine restrictions and mass culling are atypical for these diseases. Pasteurellosis, for example, is usually treatable and does not require measures of such magnitude.

These facts may indicate an increased risk of a possible FMD outbreak in Siberia and surrounding areas. The number of regions in the Russian Federation showing potential signs of disease spread appears to be rising.

Ukraine maintains its status as a country free of FMD without vaccination, which is critically important for stable exports and international trade. The State Service continuously monitors the epizootic situation and assesses the risks of infectious animal disease agents spreading into Ukraine. Special focus is placed on border and frontline regions, where risks remain elevated and military operations complicate the enforcement of adequate veterinary controls.

Tags: Russia