DISINFO: US prepares for bacteriological warfare with Russia
SUMMARY
The United States is building up its biological capabilities and preparing for bacteriological warfare with Russia. To this end, American biological laboratories operate in the post-Soviet space of Georgia and Ukraine. They also collect genetic material from Russians.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory alleging that the United States develops biological weapons and has secret biological laboratories around the world. In fact, biological laboratories in Ukraine, Georgia and other countries are involved in preventing the risks of complex diseases and, together with other similar projects, counteracting bioterrorism. The US Embassy in Ukraine has repeatedly denied the "creation of military biological laboratories" in Ukraine. Over many years, the United States and Ukraine have only ever cooperated in the prevention of biological threats. The Ukrainian Security Service urged peoplenot to spread fake news about the alleged presence of American military biological laboratories in Ukraine. Contrary to the claims of the pro-Kremlin media, the Richard Lugar Centre for Public Health Research in Tbilisi, Georgia, is a facility of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). The Lugar Centre is a top-tiered institution in NCDC’s laboratory network and serves as a reference laboratory for Georgia’s public health system. In no case has this laboratory designed, redesigned or built biological weapons. Read more about the Lugar lab on Myth Detector. See also previous cases such as the USA is working on genetical weapons to use against Russians and the US is collecting DNA from target populations to create designer-diseases.