Volgograd Farmers Strike Over Seized Land

Farmers demand oblast governor resign over the loss of pasture

3,000 hectares of pasture forcibly taken for arable land

Over 500 farmers in Volgograd Oblast have gone on strike, blockading roads and administrative buildings, to protest against the seizure of pasture for the expansion of farmland. The farmers demanded the resignation of the oblast governor, Andrei Bocharov, who they accused of corruption and incompetence.

The farmers said that 3,000 hectares of pasture had been taken from them without compensation. They said that the land was being given to agribusinesses with close ties to the oblast administration.

The farmers said that the loss of pasture would devastate their livelihoods, as they relied on it to graze their cattle. They said that they would not be able to continue farming if they did not have access to pasture.

The oblast administration said that the land was being taken for the expansion of arable land, which was needed to meet the growing demand for food. The administration said that the farmers would be compensated for the loss of their pasture, but did not provide any details of how much compensation they would receive.

The farmers said that they did not believe the oblast administration and that they would not accept any compensation. They said that they were determined to continue their strike until the land was returned to them.

The strike has caused widespread disruption in Volgograd Oblast. The oblast administration has called on the farmers to end their strike and enter into negotiations, but the farmers have refused. The situation remains tense and there is no sign of a resolution to the conflict.