MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. The Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) intergovernmental organization was distributing grants for researchers in the interest of the Pentagon, including in the area of biological weapons, Russian Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protections Troops head Igor Kirillov said Thursday.
"Russian Defense Ministry’s Chemical and Biological Threat Center determined that the main function of the STCU is acting as a grant distribution center for researches that interest the Pentagon, including those in the area of biological weapons," Kirillov said.
According to Kirillov, between 2014 and 2022, the Center implemented over 500 research projects in post-Soviet states (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan).
"The American curators were interested above all in researches that have dual purpose," he added.
In particular, Kirillov noted, the Pentagon was interested in Project 6166, which focused on development of technologies for modelling, assessment and prediction of effects of conflicts and threats of weapons of mass destruction spread, as well as Project 9601, aimed at transfer of technologies of production of complex dual-use materials from Ukraine to Europe.
"Many [projects] are aimed at research of potential biological weapons agents (plague, tularemia) and pathogens of economically significant infections (highly pathogenic avian influenza, Africa swine fever)," he said.
According to Kirillov, the STCU funded projects, aimed at research of spread of dangerous infections via insects, wild birds and bats in the Pentagon’s interest.