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DISINFO: The US plans to send infected migratory birds to infect Russia

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

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Virus / bacteria threat Biological weapons War against Ukraine laboratory

DISINFO: The US plans to send infected migratory birds to infect Russia

SUMMARY

There have been studies of migratory birds that may transmit bird flu and other dangerous diseases such as “Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever” and these studies were directed specifically on the paths of migratory birds that cross Russia.

Today, these bacteria and viruses can be spread by drones, but their range is about 500 km. On the other hand, birds travel thousands of kilometres and can even nest in Russia, which makes the situation very dangerous.

It is clear that it is directed against the people of Russia and it is a big problem and a danger to us. We should take note that the US and Ukraine pose a biological danger to our country, especially since we receive various diseases from Georgia and Ukraine, such as African swine disease, measles and scarlet fever, and the numbers of these outbreaks have increased tens of times over.

RESPONSE

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the US develops biological weapons and has deployed secret biological warfare laboratories in Ukraine.

The claim was presented in the context of the 2022 ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The claim is part of a Kremlin attempt to mobilise domestic Russian support for its war by deliberately playing on the fear-and-scare factor.

There is no evidence to support the claim. According to the UN, there are no signs of any biological weapons programme conducted in Ukraine, despite the claims made by Russia.

Ukraine is one of the states cooperating in the US Department of Defence's Biological Threat Reduction Programme (BTRP): the goal of the BTRP is to safeguard global health by preventing and containing the outbreak of infectious diseases and establishing high international standards in biological security.

The US Embassy in Ukraine has repeatedly denied the "creation of military biological laboratories" in Ukraine. The cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the fight against biological terrorism takes place exclusively within the framework of Ukrainian legislation and in the interests of Ukraine.

Russia's allegations about the alleged biological weapons programmes in Ukraine have been debunked by independent media.

These claims come from Igor Nikulin, who is presented as a former inspector of the UN Commission on Chemical, Bacteriological and Biological Weapons. According to the Russian independent outlets “the Insider”, Nikulin has no connection with the UN.

Read similar disinformation examples alleging that COVID-19 is likely the fault of the US; or the US is developing biological weapons in laboratories in post-Soviet republics; or that Ukraine is a testing ground for US biological war; or that the US might be developing weaponized insects; or that the Pentagon controls the work of 15 bacteriological laboratories in Ukraine; or that the US bio labs in Ukraine and Georgia conduct dangerous and non-transparent research; or that the spread of African Swine Fever from Lugar lab is bioterrorism.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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