The specific strain is Heracleum sosnowskyi (often called Sosnowsky's soup in native languages) - it's not the same as Giant Hogweed, but both cause similar bur

The specific strain is Heracleum sosnowskyi (often called Sosnowsky's soup in native languages) - it's not the same as Giant Hogweed, but both cause similar burns. It's not just a problem in Russia but throughout many former-USSR countries. It wasn't bred, but discovered in Sakartvelo, after which it was intentionally spread throughout the USSR to be used to produce animal fodder (feed) as it grows fast. The seeds are easily spread by rivers and can lay dormant for a long time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_sosnowskyi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_sosnowskyi