The occupiers and collaborators have turned the Ukrainian biosphere reserve “Askania-Nova” in the temporarily occupied Kherson region into a platform for illegal business. Advertisements for the sale of rare zebras have appeared on Russian Internet platforms, which they promise to catch directly on the territory of the reserve.

This is stated in an investigation by the URSA.MEDIA publication, Censor.NET informs .

Details

Journalists conducted an experiment, trying to reach out to traders of stolen animals through representatives of the occupation “administration” and popular Russian marketplaces.

In October 2025, investigators managed to contact a seller who offered an “exclusive live product” – zebras. Correspondence with him lasted for several months. During this time, the price of the exotic animal increased significantly: from 2 to 3 million rubles.

The seller openly assured that the animals are not bred in captivity, but are caught to a specific order directly at Askania-Nova.

According to investigators, the deputy occupation “director” of the reserve is directly behind this scheme and communication with potential buyers.

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