SIRIUS /Federal Territory/, November 9. /TASS/. Leaders of African countries on whose territory US biological laboratories operate should check their activities and protect their citizens from possible threats coming from them, Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya said at the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.

"If you have US military biological laboratories or supposedly humanitarian laboratories - open these laboratories, go in and find out what they are actually doing there. Demand documentary confirmation of these experiments and tests and the collection of these viruses and pathogens being carried out on the territory of your sovereign countries," she urged the African delegations.

In addition, according to the lawmaker, African countries need to "maximize the line of defense of life and safety" of their citizens. "And, of course, Russia has always been and will always be a reliable, sincere and open friend in discussing and resolving any issues that will save the lives of our citizens and the citizens of your countries," Yarovaya said.

"Taking Ukraine as an example, we can say that this country has been turned by the United States into a testing ground and a springboard for military-biological research. That all sovereignty has been completely lost, including biological sovereignty," she pointed out.

The first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum is taking place on November 9-10 at the Sirius federal territory. The event is attended by about 1,500 delegates, including more than 40 ministers from the African continent.