The World Health Organization said it had advised Ukraine to eliminate highly dangerous pathogens present in its various laboratories to prevent “any potential spills” that might spread disease to the population.
The organization added that it had stressed the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and other responsible bodies the need to destroy highly dangerous pathogens, noting, according to “Archyde.com”, that it has cooperated with Ukrainian public health laboratories for several years to enhance security practices that help prevent “accidental or intentional release of pathogens.”
Biosecurity experts said that the move of Russian forces into Ukraine and the bombing of its cities increased the risk of pathogens escaping if any of these facilities were destroyed.
WHO did not provide any details regarding the types of pathogens or toxins present in Ukraine’s laboratories, nor did it indicate whether Ukraine had responded to or followed those recommendations.
Ukraine’s laboratory capabilities have been at the center of a growing information war since Russian troop movements in Ukraine began two weeks ago.
Recently, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova renewed an old claim that the United States operates a biological weapons laboratory in Ukraine, an accusation repeatedly denied by Washington and Kiev.
