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1 1 (March 11, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govefkc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional ____ A Research Service inf arming the legis aive debate since 1914____________________ Biological Security Engagement in Ukraine: U.S. Cooperation and Threat Reduction Programs March 11, 2022 During its invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has accused Ukraine of possessing a clandestine biological weapons program with support from the United States. To the contrary, the United States has cooperated with Ukraine on biological security programs ranging from laboratory security to disease surveillance and pandemic response, as documented by the U.S. embassy website, annual budget requests, and congressional oversight hearings. These programs are rooted in the U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (CTR). The United States and Ukraine are both members of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which prohibits such weapons, and the United States has stated that both are in full compliance with their obligations. The State Department assesses that the Russian government maintains an offensive biological weapons program in violation of the BWC. Congress has raised questions about this issue in recent hearings. U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines testified on March 10 that we do not assess that Ukraine is pursuing either biological weapons or nuclear weapons. State Department Spokesman Ned Price said on March 9, Russia is inventing false pretexts in an attempt to justify its own horrific actions in Ukraine. The allegation has led to concern that Russia may be planning a false flag operation in which it plants evidence or uses a biological weapon against Ukraine but blames another party. In addition, combat operations may put sensitive biological laboratories at risk. A Department of Defense (DOD) press release says, There are five biological research laboratories in Kyiv. Their work focuses on diagnostics, therapeutics, treatments, prevention and vaccines, not on military use as the Russians and Chinese accuse. U.S. officials and outside experts have expressed concerns that Ukraine's laboratories holding pathogen collections may come under attack or Russian military control. The World Health Organization reportedly urged Ukrainian authorities to destroy research samples of disease pathogens to avoid accidental release should the facilities be damaged in the war. An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, requested by Russia, discussed the issue on March 11. The United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said that certain public health facilities are in areas impacted by armed conflict putting the safety of those facilities at risk, and that the United Nations is not aware of any biological weapons program in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the United Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11886 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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