DISINFO: The US is secretly developing biological weapons in Ukraine
SUMMARY
The US is secretly developing biological weapons in military laboratories in Ukraine, close to the border with Russia.
RESPONSE
A recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the US develops biological weapons and has deployed hundreds of secret biological warfare laboratories around the world, including in Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries.
The article’s message is presented in the context of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022. The claim about alleged bioweapons developed in Ukraine is circulated by Kremlin-controlled media to justify an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The disinformation about US-controlled or funded bio labs aiming to encircle Moscow and spread infectious diseases is part of a years-long disinformation campaign led by the Kremlin.
There are no US biological warfare laboratories in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the numerous states voluntarily cooperating with the US Department of Defence's Biological Threat Reduction Programme (BTRP). The goal of the BTRP is to prevent an outbreak of infectious diseases, counteract bioterrorism, and establish international standards in biological security. In fact, Ukraine has been provided with four mobile scientific and medical laboratories to counter the outbreak of COVID-19 throughout the country. Additionally, two scientific laboratories dedicated to food safety and consumer protection were built in 2019 as part of the BTRP.
The US Embassy in Ukraine has repeatedly refuted the "creation of military biological laboratories" in Ukraine. A complete list of medical and scientific laboratories that the Pentagon has supported under the agreement since 2005 is available on the website of the US Embassy in Ukraine, along with documents and financial reports on the maintenance and ongoing work of individual facilities. The cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the fight against dangerous pathogens and the proliferation of WMDs take place exclusively within the framework of Ukrainian legislation and serve the interests of both countries, as well as those of their partners.
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