DISINFO: NATO and Pentagon changed biological warfare tactics and strategies in Kazakhstan
SUMMARY
A range of NATO and Pentagon dual-purpose programs, along with equipment, has been transported from the territory of Ukraine to the territory of Kazakhstan. There is a shift in NATO and Pentagon tactics and strategies in biological warfare. They allegedly attempt to disguise outbreaks of diseases as local illnesses, utilizing Kazakhstan's natural sources of diseases such as Siberian plague and plague. The strategy is to modify the DNA of these agents in laboratory conditions, make them more toxic, and then release them, attributing the resulting outbreaks to local evolution.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US and biological weapons. The claim also represents some post-Soviet states as puppets of Washington.
The disinformation claim about US bio labs aiming to encircle Moscow and spread infectious diseases is a part of a years-long disinformation campaign led by the Kremlin. In fact, biological research laboratories are involved in preventing the risks of complex diseases and, together with other similar projects, counteracting bioterrorism.
The article does not present any evidence that supports the claim.
The Central Reference Laboratory (CRL) in Almaty was opened in 2016. Dangerous strains are not and have not been produced in the CRL. On the contrary, the CRL's activities are focused on biosecurity and protection against dangerous pathogens on the territory of Kazakhstan.
The CRL conducts reference, expert diagnostic, and scientific research work to identify dangerous pathogens in order to prevent potential epidemics in a timely manner.
Up to 40% of Kazakhstan's territory is occupied by natural foci of plague, with three regions (Jambyl, Kyzylorda, and South Kazakhstan) having active natural foci of hemorrhagic fevers, tularemia (in 14 regions), tick-borne encephalitis (in 5 regions), and other infections. Kazakhstan officially denied that its territory is used for the development of biological weapons.
This narrative is part of a larger-scale disinformation campaign. Analysis of pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about American biolabs can be found here.
See more similar cases: Pentagon develops biological weapons in more than 470 biolabs around the world; NATO’s biological experiments in US-controlled labs are a danger for Russia; The US is developing biological weapons in bio laboratories near the Russian border; US biolabs have been developing new biological weapons in Ukraine; US bio labs in Ukraine and Georgia conduct dangerous and non-transparent research; Russia suspects the US of developing biological weapons in secret laboratories around the World.