MOSCOW, September 6. /TASS/. US policy in the area of biological protection is laying the legal groundwork for an expansion of its military biological activity, even though the stated purpose is deterring the use of biological weapons, said Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov.

He was commenting on the Biodefense Posture Review that was published by the Pentagon in August and laid out the US policy in the area through 2035.

"Although its (the policy’s - TASS) stated purpose is to 'deter the use of biological weapons and respond to natural outbreaks,' the document creates a legal basis for further U.S. biological-military expansion and research outside of national territory," he said at a news conference dedicated to the analysis of documents related to US military biological activities.

He said Washington plans to expand the overseas network of laboratories under its control and extend the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, "which was previously imposed by the US administration on post-Soviet countries. The implementation of these plans will involve civilian ministries and intermediary organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As evidence of that, Kirillov quoted Assistant Secretary of Defense Deborah Rosenblum as saying that, "biosecurity is no longer the domain of specialized Army units alone."

"The biological-military nature of the planned activity is also evident from the fact that it will be conducted by the Biodefense Council, chaired by US Deputy Secretary of Defense William LaPlante," the military officer said.