The Russian authorities are going to take animals from “Ascania-Nova” again

The Russian authorities are going to take three zebras from the seized biosphere reserve “Askania-Nova” in the Kherson region to the “Kazka” zoo in the occupied Crimea.

The legitimate Ukrainian director of the reserve, Viktor Shapoval, said that zebras have a high value. They are quite rare animals in zoos, so they are in demand. About 30 individuals remain in Askania-Nova.

In addition, he said that another group of zebras is being quarantined and is being prepared for illegal export.

“These are illegal actions of the Russian administration. It doesn’t matter whether it’s export or exchange,” said Viktor Shapoval.

The territory where the Askania-Nova reserve is located was occupied by the Russian army on the first day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the end of March 2023, the occupation authorities established complete control over it.

On December 5, 2023, the Russian propaganda media reported that seven animals were delivered from Russia to the occupied nature reserve in the Kherson region. At the same time, the legitimate Ukrainian director of the reserve, Viktor Shapoval, said that this is how they cover up the removal of animals. The Russian authorities took several individuals of Chapman’s zebra, American bison, Przewalski’s horses and David’s deer from Askania-Nova.

In December 2023, the National Police reported suspicion of collaboration to 48-year-old Dmytro Meshcheryakov, who since March 2023 has been the head of the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve captured by the Russian occupiers.

There are problems in the reserve due to the lack of scientific support, because the scientific staff refused to cooperate with the Russian occupiers, and the technical staff that remained in the institution provides only elementary technological processes.

In May 2024, the Russian authorities plan to open the captured biosphere reserve “Askania-Nova” to visitors. The legal director of the reserve, Viktor Shapoval, noted that this is dangerous, because “Askania-Nova” is located not far from the zone of active hostilities.