Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed discussing ensuring collective biological security across the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The Russian president was speaking at a briefing with permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
“Currently the situation is not the same [as during the COVID-19 pandemic], thank God. But, nevertheless, it is anything but simple from the point of view of the epidemiological situation. Biological security concerns all of us, our closest neighbors. On December 25-26, we will have meetings with our colleagues, with the leaders of the CIS countries. This is one of the issues that, of course, is of interest to everyone in general,” Putin said.
The Russian leader asked the head of Russia's consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, to report on the biological and epidemiological situation in the CIS.
Russia has repeatedly warned of the dangerous extent of US military-biological activities at facilities set up across the post-Soviet space. Since the start of its special military operation in Ukraine, Moscow has accused the US of conducting biological research for military purposes, pointing out that up to 30 biological laboratories scattered across the territory of the neighboring country have been involved in biological weapons production. Washington has denied the allegations, despite the fact that many of the findings presented by Russia’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops have since been independently corroborated.
The United States is looking to establish worldwide dominance over biological situations and is making administrative, financial, and diplomatic efforts to achieve this goal, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, stated in September. Russia has documented evidence that the US State Department has been participating in the implementation of the Biosecurity Enhancement Program since 2016, Kirillov told a briefing. According to the general, data shows that Washington has been actively taking part in bioresearch in other countries, striving to use third-party performers to conceal the customers and goals of the ongoing research.
Last month, Igor Kirillov said that Washington has been forced to scale back its global military-biological programs in the wake of Russia’s revelations about their extent.
“We face a difficult situation [as far as biological security goes, ed.] due to the fact that practically 46 biological laboratories were located on the territory of Ukraine. How do our overseas opponents react to Russia’s statements? Some have kept silent, sometimes they give instructions not to react at all. Some of their work has been curtailed, and we consider this to be our achievement,” Kirillov said in an interview with Russian TV on the occasion of the RCBD Troops’ professional holiday.