Russia’s ‘Egg King’ survives assassination amid anger over soaring prices
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Gennady Shiryaev (center) was ambushed by a gunman who fired two shots at his BMW. Telegraph photo
The attack on Gennady Shiryaev has caused growing hysteria in Russia amid rising prices for eggs, so expensive that they are now given as Christmas gifts and forcing the Kremlin to promise a price cut.
Mr. Shiryaev was driving a BMW 4×4 near his egg factory on December 27 in the Voronezh region, central Russia, when a gunman ambushed him and fired two shots. Both shots missed Mr. Shiryaev.
Police have not yet announced a motive for the attack, although news channel Mash Telegram said Mr Shiryaev was attacked by “locals unhappy with the price increase” of his products.
Mr. Shiryaev owns the Tretyakskaya poultry farm. Two days before he was attacked, authorities opened a case against him and two other egg producers for inflating egg prices.
Eggs in Russia have increased in price by more than 50% in the past three months, angering ordinary Russians who view eggs as an essential food product.
The Kremlin is disgruntled
The price hike also worries the Kremlin less than three months before the presidential election.
The Kremlin was forced to issue a statement denying the egg shortage and implement an emergency plan to buy tons of eggs from abroad and waive import taxes to rein in prices. They have also ordered the FSB security agency to arrest anyone suspected of hoarding eggs.
Analysts say high energy prices and Western sanctions have made raising hens and producing eggs expensive in Russia.
Dozens of videos showing people lining up from dawn to buy cheap eggs from trucks were posted on social networks, and in the Vologda region, a regional deputy of the ruling United Russia party took photos. I gave cartons of eggs to my employees as gifts for the traditional Orthodox New Year festival.
