‘Senseless delirium': Putin's claim of Ukraine using BIRDS to spread diseases debunked
Vladimir Putin has been accused of spouting "senseless delirium" after he claimed that Ukraine was attempting to transmit biological weapons through migratory birds and insects. Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya, speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York, said Moscow has information that Ukraine has at least 30 laboratories working on biological weapons.
He claimed the suspected operations were aimed at transmitting diseases to birds, bats, and even insects. “We ask you to think about a very real biological danger for the inhabitants of European countries, which can result from an uncontrolled spread of biological agents from Ukraine,” Nebenzya said.
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He added, “And if there is such a scenario, then all of Europe will be covered. The risk is very real given the interests of radical nationalist groups in Ukraine in the work on dangerous pathogens conducted in conjunction with the United States Department of Defence.”
Other countries present in the meeting slammed Russia's assertions. The Russian statements were slammed most powerfully by Ukraine envoy Sergiy Kyslytsya. He said, “By calling this meeting, the aggressor state has shot itself in the foot yet again,” he said. Russia “doesn’t care about the safety of its own citizens, including the thousands of rotting bodies of its soldiers." He claimed Ukraine had a well-organized health care system “in full compliance with its international obligations and in full cooperation with all relevant international organizations.”
“The rest is his pile of insane delusions from Putin and his henchmen, including the Russian mission to the United Nations,” he added. Russia claimed that Ukraine possessed stocks of weapons used for mass destruction, particularly emphasizing biological weapons, has been criticized by a number of Western governments as a potential justification for continuing its invasion of Ukraine.
According to US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Russia is carrying out a scenario provided to the Security Council by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month, who claimed that Putin would “fabricate allegations about chemical weapons or to justify its own violent attacks on the Ukrainian people”. He added, “The intent behind these lies seems clear and deeply troubling,” she said.
“We believe Russia may use chemical or biological agents for assassinations, as part of a staged or false flag incident, or in support of tactical military operations.” Russia asked the conference to consider its allegations of US "biologically active" activities in Ukraine. The claim has not been validated by Russia, but the United States and Ukraine have both disputed it.
UN disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu informed the council that she was alert of media reports, she said: “The United Nations is not aware of any biological weapons program.” Britain’s UN ambassador Barbara Woodward termed the allegations “absolute nonsense” and further said, “Russia is sinking to new depths today, but the Council must not get into it.”
On the other hand, the UN human rights office claimed to receive “credible reports” that Russian forces are using cluster ammunition in Ukraine, in settled areas which is banned under international humanitarian law. “Indiscriminate attacks, including those using cluster munitions, which are of a nature to strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction, are prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Ms. DiCarlo said.