At the end of July 2025, media and Telegram channels reported on an unusual initiative of the Estonian government: they allegedly offered to supply the Ukrainian army with meat products from animals that were shot as part of the fight against the plague. We have checked the correctness of such publications.

Notes about the proposal, allegedly made by Estonian Minister of Regional Development and Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras, circulated on July 30. It is alleged that the official has found an unusual way to solve the problem of an oversupply of meat resulting from the shooting of wild boars amid an outbreak of African swine fever. As follows from the publications, Terras appealed to the government with a request to finance the purchase of this meat in order to further process it and send it to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Wrote about this Lenta.ru, "Gazeta.ru" And Life.ru, as well as Telegram channels "Before everyone else. Well almost"(532,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), "Operation Z: military correspondents of the Russian spring"(467,000), "Newsach / Dvach"(214,000), "Anti-fascists of the Baltic states"(196,000), "Uncle Slava"(173,000), Colonelcassad (167,000), "Belarusian security officer"(153,000), etc. At the same time, some resources noted that it is planned to supply canned food to Ukraine specifically from the meat of infected animals. This wording was chosen “Constantinople" And EADaily, as well as Telegram channels "Evil proof"(215,000), "Ukraine.ru"(115,000), Fox News Russia (42,000), etc.

Summer 2025 in Estonia recorded outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). Animals on farms are infected by wild boars, and their shooting remains the most effective way to combat the spread of the disease. The destruction of wild boars occurs according to a quota set by the government. This year, against the backdrop of the ASF outbreak, the quota is significantly increased - up to 18,000 individuals. At the beginning of August, member of the Hunters' Union Rein Rosenberg confirmed, that, thanks to the mass shooting of wild boars, at least in Southern Estonia, the population has noticeably decreased.

A similar method is used on farms. If there is at least one confirmed case of infection there, the Department of Agriculture and Food obliges slaughter all pigs kept on the farm. They are taking this step because ASF cannot be treated. After slaughtering the livestock, the department carries out a complete disinfection of such a farm and establishes a quarantine (animals can be housed there again only when it is completed).

An outbreak of plague creates problems for hunters, farmers and the meat industry. How explains Executive Director of the Estonian Hunters' Society Tõnis Korts, there are so many wild boars killed as part of the fight against ASF that the carcasses are almost impossible to sell. Raw meat, even if the virus has not been detected in it, cannot be sold, and the warehouses of factories ready to start processing are already overcrowded. At the same time, for people, African swine fever is basically not dangerous — it will not be transmitted to a person, even if he eats contaminated meat.

Estonian officials put forward different options for solving the problem. For example, the chairman of the parliamentary commission for rural affairs, Urmas Kruuse suggested the state to purchase part of the safe meat, make canned food from it and supply it to various institutions. The deputy mentioned Ukraine as possible recipients of such assistance, but emphasized that the decision should be made by the Estonian government. In turn, the Linnamäe meat processing plant statedthat their production capacity is sufficient to supply the Estonian Defense Forces with similar canned food.

On July 29, it became known that the Minister of Regional Development and Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras appealed to the government Estonia with a request to allocate additional funds for the purchase of meat from shot wild boars and refrigerators for its storage. According to the minister’s calculations, the authorities can purchase about a third of such meat and produce half a million cans of canned food from it, which can be supplied to the Estonian army and Ukraine. Presenting his initiative, Terras emphasized that ASF is not transmitted to people, but nevertheless they plan to buy only the carcasses of uninfected animals. This was confirmed by the head of the animal health and welfare department at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Olev Kalda. According to him, all boar carcasses are checked for the presence of the virus, and those carcasses in which it is detected are disposed of.

In Russian media, the spread of this news began with post in the TASS Telegram channel, which appeared on July 30 at 14:44 Moscow time. Retelling Terrace’s initiative, the authors of the publication omitted the fact that the minister proposed sending meat from uninfected wild boars for processing, although in note This detail is on the news agency’s website. Subsequently, in other media the formulations became increasingly harsh (and far from reality) - For example, “Tsargrad” released a post on its Telegram channel under the heading “Estonia offered to feed Ukrainians with plague pork.”

Thus, the Estonian Minister of Agriculture actually proposed making canned food from the meat of wild boars that are shot to combat African swine fever, but using only carcasses in which the virus has not been detected. However, even the meat of ASF-infected animals is safe for humans. The official admitted that such canned food could also be sent to Ukraine, but his plan is primarily aimed at helping Estonian hunters and enterprises suffering losses due to the ASF outbreak.

Cover photo: Thomas Fuhrmann/Wikimedia Commons