Russia has claimed, without evidence, that the United States is operating biowarfare laboratories in Ukraine.
The U.S. has dismissed the allegations as “preposterous,” and — along with NATO leaders — warned that the Kremlin might be seeking to manufacture a pretext for using chemical or biological weapons in its flailing military assault against its neighbor. Ukraine has previously said that, like many other countries, it has public-health laboratories dedicated to researching how to mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases affecting animals and humans.
On March 11, the United Nations Security Council met at Russia’s request to address the issue, but Russia was again unable to provide any credible proof of its allegations. The U.N. Secretariat briefed the UNSC members on the 1975 Biological Weapons Convention and referred to the possibility of using a consultation mechanism when there are doubts about compliance.