Residents of the village of Kozikha in Russia’s Novosibirsk Region have collected 268 signatures on a petition asking the regional governor to dismiss Nina Chistyakova, head of the Kozikha village council, for losing the public’s trust — not to accept her resignation voluntarily, one of the petition’s authors told the independent Russian media outlet 7×7.

Over Chistyakova’s four years leading the village council, residents had accumulated many grievances, the source told journalists.

“Winter road clearing, potholes, mowing the roadsides, weeds. But the breaking point came in March 2026, when emergency measures were introduced in Kozikha and officials began carrying them out. Residents were outraged that they hadn’t been notified and weren’t given any official documents,” the activist said.

After learning that the petition was being prepared, Chistyakova submitted her own resignation effective April 27 and warned residents that their signatures “could end up going in an unknown direction — as in, fraud.” A screenshot of her message was published in a local community group.

After the signature drive began, those behind the petition started receiving calls and messages from Chistyakova containing insults, the activist said. They have since filed complaints with the prosecutor’s office and police.

In March, a resident of the Ordynsky District (where Kozikha is located — Meduza) said that Chistyakova had hinted to his relative, a schoolteacher, that she could be fired for supporting the protests against the livestock seizures.

Since late 2025, several Russian regions, including Novosibirsk, have been hit by a widespread outbreak of livestock disease. Authorities seized and killed animals, citing outbreaks of rabies and pasteurellosis, a bacterial infection.

Novosibirsk farmers said that initially authorities provided no documents when seizing animals and could not clearly explain the reason for their actions. Residents of several villages blocked roads in protest and recorded an appeal to Vladimir Putin. The situation drew widespread attention beyond the region.

By March 20, Novosibirsk officials announced that the forced seizure of livestock due to the pasteurellosis outbreak was coming to an end.

In April, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, responding to an official inquiry, said that the animal disease outbreak in Novosibirsk was caused by official errors, atypical forms of pasteurellosis, and weather conditions.