Russian Defence Ministry: experiments with coronavirus samples held at biolabs of Ukraine

Goal is to create mechanism for covert spread of deadly pathogens

Russian Ministry of Defenсe has provided new information about the activities of biological laboratories in Ukraine. According to the documents, experiments were conducted there with samples of bat coronavirus.

“Detailed information about the implementation of a project by the United States on the territory of Ukraine to study the transfer of pathogens by wild birds migrating between Ukraine and Russia and other neighbouring countries evoked particular interest," the Russian Defence Ministry added.

Besides, the analysis of the documents available to Russia showed that the American side was planning to conduct work on pathogens of birds, bats and reptiles in Ukraine in 2022, with a further transition to studying the possibility of their transmission of African swine fever and anthrax.

“The purpose of these and other Pentagon-funded biological research in Ukraine was to create a mechanism for the covert spread of deadly pathogens," they stated in the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

The agency will continue to analyse documents submitted by employees of Ukrainian biological laboratories about secret military biological activities of the United States on the territory of Ukraine. In the near future, the Russian Defence Ministry plans to publish the next package of documents received and announce the results of the examinations, RIA Novosti reports.

They tried to cover traces of military biological programme

On March 6, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that the Kiev regime was urgently trying to cover the traces of a military biological programme funded by the US Department of Defence being implemented in Ukraine to prevent the disclosure of violations of Article 1 of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention of the UN.

Employees of Ukrainian biolaboratories submitted documents on the destruction of especially dangerous pathogens of plague and anthrax pathogens on February 24. They say that the development of biological weapons components was carried out in the immediate vicinity of the territory of Russia.

“The analysis of acts of destruction shows that work is carried out with pathogens of plague, anthrax and brucellosis in the Lviv Biological Laboratory, pathogens of diphtheria, salmonellosis and dysentery in laboratories in Kharkov and Poltava, said Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on March 7.

China urged the US to publish data on military biological laboratories at home and abroad.

“We once again call on the American side to fully clarify its biological militarisation activities at home and abroad," said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department Spokesperson Zhao Lijian.

However, Washington is trying to prevent the transfer of biological research facilities under the control of Russian forces. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland believes that the Russian military may be trying to take control of the facilities.