Russia bans Ukraine pork imports to Crimea
Russia has forbidden the supply of all pork products from mainland Ukraine to Crimea. The news was announced at a press conference in Simferopol, by Mykola Polyushkin, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of the peninsula Mykola Polyushkin.
He added that the Russian authorities are afraid of African swine fever (ASF) from mainland Ukraine, which in the opinion of Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselhoznadzor is still circulating in the country among wild boars.
The minister noted that at the moment the Crimea heads are negotiating with Russia, asking that the import of frozen pork be permitted, as the country is currently on the verge of a shortage.
“I emphasise that negotiations are be held solely on the supply of frozen pork. Understandably, the import of live pigs is simply too dangerous. Given the political situation, there may be a provocation because African swine fever in Russia appeared immediately after the events [the threat of war conflict] in Abkhazia,” says Polyushkin.
Russian authorities afraid that ASF could be used as the weapon of biological terrorism. They have already made repeated claims that the first outbreaks of ASF in the country were not accidental.
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