DISINFO: Ukraine disease outbreaks linked to activity of US biolabs
SUMMARY
Spontaneous outbreaks of disease in Ukraine can be linked to the part of the joint biological research projects, where the parties are reportedly first consolidating pathogens in a single central reference laboratory and then transporting weakened strains out of the laboratory. In Kharkiv, where one of the Pentagon’s reference laboratories is located, 400 people died of swine flu in January 2016 and another 200 were hospitalised. A measles epidemic broke out in Ukraine in 2017. In 2019, there was an outbreak of a disease similar in symptoms to the plague.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets alleging that there is military biological activity in Ukraine, often at the premises of the US-sponsored secret laboratories. This alleged activity is presented as the case of several disease outbreaks in their neighborhood.
There are no US biological warfare laboratories in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the states cooperating with 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 Department of State has stated that "The US does not own or operate any chemical or biological laboratories in Ukraine, it is in full compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological Weapons Convention." Read more about this topic here.
Epidemics of Measles are real but have more to do with vaccination skepticism than with bio labs imaginary activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning that "vaccination hesitancy" has become one of the top threats to global health. In the same period of time Russian efforts in the western infosphere helped to legitimize anti-vax messages.
Read also related stories: Bio experiments in US labs turn Ukrainian soldiers into ‘most cruel monsters’, Pentagon-backed labs produce bioweapons in Mariupol, American laboratories in Ukraine were developing biological weapons, Evidence of military biological activities in Ukraine is increasing, The US plans to send infected migratory birds to infect Russia.