Kyiv comments on US intelligence chief's claims about "US biolabs" in Ukraine

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that the US government has long funded more than 120 "biolaboratories", including in Ukraine, as groundless.

Source: a comment by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The ministry said Ukraine has consistently fulfilled its international obligations under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).

Ukraine has never engaged in activities related to the development, production or stockpiling of biological weapons, the ministry added.

Quote: "For many years, cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the field of biosafety has been aimed exclusively at strengthening the capabilities of the public health system, epidemiological surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, biosafety, and biosecurity. This refers to ordinary civilian activities that comply with international public health standards and practices and are entirely unrelated to any military objectives."

More details: The ministry pointed out that the laboratory facilities involved in the relevant international technical assistance programmes are diagnostic, scientific or reference laboratories within the public health system, veterinary medicine or other scientific institutions.

Quote: "The narrative of alleged 'laboratories for the development of biological weapons' is not new – Russia has used it in its propaganda for many years. At the same time, all Russian accusations have been repeatedly debunked at the international level."

More details: In 2022, at the request of the Russian Federation under Article V of the BTWC, an official consultative process was held with the participation of the states parties to the convention. During that process, all data was provided on the relevant cooperation programmes, their aims and implementation mechanisms.

The ministry insisted that Ukraine remains committed to the principles of transparency, international cooperation and strengthening the global biological security system.

Quote: "We call for reliance on the outcomes of international consultations and verified facts, rather than on distorted interpretations or Russian propaganda."

Background:

• Tulsi Gabbard has "declassified" materials that allegedly contain evidence of long-term US government funding for more than 120 "biolaboratories", including some in Ukraine.
• She claimed in a press release that the biolabs – where research is conducted into biological pathogens, including dangerous ones – include laboratories in Ukraine which may be "at risk of compromise due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war".
• On the accompanying "map", Gabbard's office has marked the location of Kyiv or Kyiv Oblast incorrectly and labelled one of the sites "Cherniv". The "map" also indicates that Ukraine supposedly has "biolabs" in Russian-occupied Crimea and in a city called "Zakarpattia".
• Gabbard has announced that her resignation will take effect on 30 June.

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