Andrey Mukovnin assessed the work of the State Veterinary Service of the Republic of Karelia

Andrey Mukovnin, Deputy DIRECTOR of the Veterinary Department of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, visited Karelia on April 3-4, 2025, as part of a zonal meeting on the development of livestock farming and veterinary medicine in the Northwestern Federal District, and reviewed the work of the region's veterinary services.
During the visit, he visited the Sortavala veterinary station of the Republican Center for Veterinary and Consulting and assessed the work of the mobile ichthyopathology laboratory.
The Republican Center for Veterinary and Consulting comprises veterinary stations, stations, and points located in each municipal district of the republic. The republic also operates the only veterinary laboratory, which serves as the basis for the mobile ichthyopathology laboratory. The primary objective of the mobile complex is to monitor the epizootic HEALTH of aquaculture enterprises in the region.
The mobile laboratory, based on a GAZelle NEXT vehicle, is equipped with a Group 2-4 microbiological safety cabinet, a PCR diagnostic cabinet, a personal computer with software, bactericidal irradiators, a self-contained independent heating system, a combined ventilation and air conditioning system, and the necessary furniture. In emergency situations, the vehicle's equipment can be supplemented with equipment for PCR testing and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay diagnostics.
The ichthyologist's workstation, equipped in the vehicle, is in no way inferior to a full-fledged office in a stationary laboratory: it includes work surfaces for fish dissection, a microscope with a high-resolution camera for photo and video recording, a low-temperature thermostat for sample transport, and other specialized equipment.
It is worth noting that, given the rapid development of aquaculture, the mobile laboratory is in demand among fisheries enterprises in the Republic of Karelia.
Andrey Mukovnin also visited the Sortavala and Pitkyaranta veterinary stations of the Republican Veterinary and Consulting Center, where he discussed the epizootic situation in the region and current challenges with veterinary specialists.
He also provided recommendations for the further development of the region's veterinary services.