WASHINGTON, March 11. /TASS/. The US Department of State denies US ownership or use of biological labs in Ukraine, but admits that its experts assisted them in safety issues, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price has told reporters.
"To be very clear, the United States Government does not own or operate biological laboratories in Ukraine, full stop," he said. "Just as we have done in countries around the world, experts have assisted Ukraine at times with laboratory safety issues. But that is the extent of the activity."
"Ukraine is in full compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention. It is in full compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention," the US diplomat continued.
Price described reports of US role in the work of biological labs in Ukraine as "propaganda" and "disinformation."
"And we want to do everything we can to ensure that that disinformation isn’t parroted by those who may be unwitting or who may have a different agenda," he said.
Washington rejects reports about the work of biological labs in Ukraine on US orders as propaganda and disinformation. However, US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affiars Victoria Nuland told the US Congress on March 8 that biological research facilities were operating in Ukraine, and Washington seeks to prevent Russian forces from taking them under control.
Earlier, head of Russian Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Igor Kirillov informed that a network of over 30 biological laboratories was established in Ukraine, contracted by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). According to Kirillov, on February 24, all these laboratories received an order from the Ukrainian Health Ministry to completely dispose of biological agents stockpiled in those laboratories. Kirillov noted that the disposal procedure was aimed at their irreplaceable destruction, because, apparently, everything necessary for further implementation of the military biological program has already been evacuated from the Ukrainian territory.
Russian Ambassador to US Anatoly Antonov said in early February that the United States remains the only country that has failed to fulfill its commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention and has not eliminated its chemical stockpile.