DISINFO: Pentagon-funded Ukrainian biolabs experimented with a lethal bird flu strain
SUMMARY
The Russian Ministry of Defence has uncovered documents in Kherson Oblast confirming that Ukrainian biolabs, on orders from the Pentagon, had been experimenting with highly transmittable strains of the bird flu. One of these strains, H5N8, has a lethality of up to 40% in humans.
RESPONSE
The claim advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging that the United States uses Ukrainian laboratories to conduct biological weapons trials for potential use against Russia.
The claim is made without evidence and grossly exaggerates the danger of the H5N8 strain to human health. The first H5N8 infection was observed in 1983, and the strain has since caused several flu epidemics in birds. First human infections in Russia were not recorded until 2021, when seven poultry farm employees tested positive for H5N8, but did not exhibit any symptoms. The only bird flu strain, which poses a substantial threat to humans, is the H5N1 variant, which goes unmentioned in the news article.
See here for further debunking by The Insider (in Russian). Examples of previous cases about bird flu and biolabs can be found here.