MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. At a meeting of the signatories to Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons (BTWC) in Geneva the United States has confessed that samples of pathogenic strains and biomaterials of local people were evacuated from Ukraine, the head Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection force, Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, told a news briefing on Monday.

"US and Ukrainian explanations regarding the evacuation of strains and biomaterials of Ukrainians and the observance of ethical standards in conducting research on military personnel, low-income citizens, as well as on one of the most vulnerable categories of the population - patients in psychiatric hospitals - looked extremely unconvincing," he said.

According to Kirillov, when discussing this issue the US delegation confessed to the hard facts, "while claiming that the transfer of samples of pathogenic biomaterials to the United States was not frequent".

On September 5-9 the signatories to the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons met in conference in Geneva in connection with the US and Ukraine’s violations of articles 1 and 4 of the Convention. The meeting was initiated by Russia. According to Kirillov, none of the delegations had any doubts regarding the authenticity of the documents presented by Russia, including those proving the accumulation of pathogenic materials in Ukrainian laboratories.