December 28 2005, 15:37

Russia bans livestock products transits through Ukraine on document forgery allegations

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Control (Rosselkhoznadzor) since December 30 this year introduces temporary limitations on imports of livestock products transited through the territory of Ukraine to Russia, Prime-TASS news agency informed with reference to a Rosselkhoznadzor spokesman.

The spokesman said the measures were related to "numerous breeches of Russia's veterinary regulations by the Ukrainian party as regards the products, transited through the territory of this country".

He said that there had been "about 200 tonnes of boneless beef detained, documented as having been of New Zealand origin". As a result of the investigation being undertaken, the New Zealand authorities admitted the documents for the consignment as having been faked, the spokesman said. Moreover, the check has revealed that the product in question was "not beef at all, but most probably - Indian buffalo meat, the import of which onto the territory of Russia is prohibited", he said.

The news agency, however, did not cite the spokesman to give any more examples of "numerous abuses" of Russian regulations "by the Ukrainian party".