What is Happening in American Biological Laboratories in Ukraine? What are the US and Russia Afraid Of?

The United States is concerned that Russia may take control of American biological laboratories located in Ukraine during its ongoing special military operation, said US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, according to Interfax.

“We are worried that Russian forces could try to gain control over them,” she stated during hearings on Ukrainian issues in the US Senate. Nuland added that the US is currently “working with the Ukrainians to ensure that materials related to these studies do not fall into the hands of Russian forces.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also called on the US yesterday, March 8, to disclose details about the operations of its biological laboratories in Ukraine. “The United States, as the best-informed party regarding these laboratories, should publicly release relevant specific information as soon as possible, including what viruses are stored and what research is being conducted,” said spokesperson Zhao Lijian, urging all parties involved in the military operations to ensure the security of the laboratories.

How is Russia Accusing the US?

Russia accuses the US of conducting illegal research into biological weapons in the bio-laboratories funded by the US in Ukraine. Moscow claims that these laboratories have stores of pathogenic materials for deadly diseases, including the plague. According to Dailymail, these claims are disinformation. The American media states that Russia is attempting to justify its attack on Ukraine in this way. However, Russia insists that illegal research into biological weapons is being conducted in these laboratories.

Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, stated, “It is evident that with the start of the special military operation, the Pentagon was seriously concerned about the disclosure of secret biological experiments in Ukraine. Moscow has obtained documents confirming that biological laboratories located in close proximity to Russian territory were engaged in the development of components of biological weapons.”

According to Konashenkov, documents have been obtained that indicate the Ukrainian Ministry of Health has instructed to destroy “especially dangerous pathogens” and other infectious materials of deadly diseases.

Moscow suggests that the destruction was intended to hide violations of the biological weapons convention.

Russia also claims that a planned “provocation” was prepared by Ukraine to blow up a research reactor near Kharkiv, which could have caused “potential radioactive contamination,” for which Moscow would be blamed afterward.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has also stated that 30 biological laboratories operate within the territory of Ukraine under joint Pentagon programs.