Some authors (e.g., Pocock 1936, Ellerman and Morrison-Scott 1951) considered Mustela eversmanii conspecific with M. putorius, but most recognised these two taxa as closely related but distinct species (Heptner et al. 1967, Abramov 2000, Wozencraft 2005). Recent molecular (Davison et al. 1999, Kurose et al. 2000, Koepfli et al. 2008) and morphological (Abramov et al. 2016, Cserkész et al. 2021) studies support this point of view. The European and Steppe Polecats are occasionally reported to hybridise where they overlap in their distribution (Heptner et al. 1967). Molecular analysis found a low frequency of hybridisation, suggesting that the difference in habitat preference of the two species may act as a barrier to admixture (Szatmári et al. 2021). Traditionally the European populations of M. eversmanii are classified into two subspecies that are separated by the Carpathians – M. e. hungarica mainly inhabits the Pannonian Basin, whereas nominotypical M. e. eversmanii occurs from northern Bulgaria, throughout southern European Russia to Kazakhstan (Wolsan 1999, Wozencraft 2005). Intraspecific variation and taxonomy of the Asian M. eversmanii populations are still poorly understood.

European regional assessment: Endangered (EN)
EU 27 regional assessment: Endangered (EN)

The population of the Steppe Polecat (Mustela eversmanii) in Europe is small, probably less than 2,500 mature individuals, and given the large range of this species and small population estimate, each subpopulation is considered to contain fewer than 250 mature individuals. It is undergoing a continuing decline in the number of mature individuals and for this reason, the species is assessed as Endangered under criterion C2a(i). The apparently strong dependence on the Critically Endangered European Hamsters, Cricetus cricetus, makes the Steppe Polecat Endangered because the hamster is still declining and being eradicated legally or illegally in central and Eastern Europe. Any subsequent strong declines or extirpations in hamster populations will threaten the Steppe Polecat. The Steppe Polecat has almost disappeared in large areas of Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine, which can be linked to the collapse of small mammal populations associated with unfavourable agricultural practices (e.g. extensive usage of pesticides) (Selyunina 2017) and military conflict (Barkaszi 2023). Population sizes and trends are not known in European Russia, but in the Asian part, in southern Siberia, its status is unfavourable due to the destruction of natural steppe biotopes (Smirnov and Minakov 2013). Its status in European Russia is likely to be even worse.

The population in the European Union is very small (probably less than 1,000 mature individuals), severely fragmented and continues to decline, with each subpopulation containing fewer than 250 mature individuals. There is unlikely to be a rescue effect from the eastern populations, hence the assessment is not adjusted. The species is Endangered C2a(i) for the EU 27 region.

In the European region, the Steppe Polecat is found in Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, northern Serbia, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and European Russia, along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains (up to 60° N) (Šalek et al. 2013). Records from Germany and North Macedonia are not confirmed (Šalek et al. 2013). It occurs up to 800 m in Europe (Chetri et al. 2014).

The global range of the species extends out of the European assessment region to the Northern Caucasus (along the Black Sea to Sukhumi, and along the Caspian Sea to Makhachkala), and Middle Asia east to Mongolia and northern and western China in the east (Heptner et al. 1967, Abramov and Khlyap 2012).

The species is unevenly spaced and variably abundant across its range; it has unstable population densities, is strongly dependent on food resources, and is capable of colonising new areas rapidly. In the western parts of its range (e.g. in the EU) it is scarce and patchily distributed. It is still numerous in most of its range, particularly in the southern European part of Russia, and, out of the European assessment area, in southern Siberia and Kazakhstan (Volodina 2021).

The results of a recent review (Šalek et al. 2013) suggest that populations of the Steppe Polecat continue to decline in most European countries, leading to fragmentation and local population extinctions at the beginning of the 21^st century (e.g., Anděra and Červený 2009). The species was assessed as “rapidly declining” in Czechia, Austria, Slovakia, Moldova, and Ukraine; “declining” in Bulgaria; and “stable” in Hungary. In Czechia, the Steppe Polecat occurred in 48.3% of studied quadrats in the period 1951–1980, declining to 25.2% in 1981–2009, and just 2.7% after 2000, which probably represents the current distribution of this species (Anděra and Červený 2009). The data for Ukraine demonstrate a dramatic decline in numbers from the 1970s to the end of the 20^th century. The population density decreased by a factor of 50–60 times in natural steppe regions, after agricultural land reclamation (Volokh 2004). In Bulgaria, the overall distribution of the species remained fairly static during the 1960s and 1970s; however, strong fragmentation of populations and a decrease in numbers seemed apparent (Spassov and Spiridonov 2011). The population trend of the species is poorly known to the east of Europe, in the Asian part of its range, and most possibly it is declining (see Smirnov and Minakov 2013). The population size in Europe is estimated to be between 2,000–2,500.

The species inhabits a variety of relatively dry habitats including steppes, semi-deserts, pastures, and cultivated fields (Heptner et al. 1967). It avoids forests and is primarily nocturnal. Its diet consists mainly of rodents, including ground squirrels Spermophilus, marmots Marmota, hamsters, voles, gerbils and pikas Ochotona.

The main causes of decline in Europe are widespread habitat loss and fragmentation of the steppe and grassland habitats, intensive agriculture, depletion of the main prey, and hunting pressure. Hunting of this species is prohibited in most of the EU. However, the European Polecat M. putorius can be legally harvested in all countries which also have Steppe Polecat, and thus, a high risk of confusion between the two polecat species could result in the poaching of Steppe Polecats (Šalek et al. 2013). However, in at least parts of its range (e.g., the Russian Federation) it is commonly hunted for its fur.

Polecats are commonly killed on roads in Hungary (Csathó and Csathó 2009) and Romania (Hegyeli et al. 2019), and this is believed to be a significant form of mortality. New results demonstrated that the accumulation of anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) are threatening Steppe Polecat populations (Szapu et al. 2023). The presence of one first-generation and four second-generation ARs were detected in 46% of the examined 63 samples collected in Hungary. In 17 cases at least two types of AR-residues were detected. Brodifacoum and bromadiolone were the most prevalent ARs; the former was present in relatively high concentrations (max. 0.57 mg/kg) in many cases. Diseases such as canine distemper are also threatening the species (Lanszki et al. 2022).

In parts of its range (e.g., Russian Federation) it is commonly hunted for its fur.

The Steppe Polecat is protected under Appendix II of the Bern Convention. It occurs in many protected areas. The Steppe Polecat is a protected species in many European countries and its hunting is prohibited (Šaleket al. 2013). It is listed as Endangered in the Red Data Book of Ukraine and in the National Red List of Austria, Czechia, and Moldova, and as Vulnerable in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria and the National Red List of Romania. Moreover, it is listed in the National Red List of Serbia (and soon will be in the National Red Book).