The United States (US) Department of State claimed that Russia and China are spreading “outright lies” about the US and Ukraine preparing to conduct chemical and biological warfare in Ukraine. A statement released on Wednesday went on to claim that Russia itself is likely using or plans to use such weapons, suggesting that Moscow has a “track record of accusing the West of the very crimes that [Moscow] itself is perpetrating.”
State Department spokesperson Ned Price affirmed that the US is in full compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, adding that Washington does not produce or possess such weapons anywhere. Price called Russia’s accusations “total nonsense,” highlighting Moscow’s own violations of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Convention. Price then reasoned that Russia could be spreading this disinformation to create pretexts to justify more “premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified” attacks on Ukraine.
Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them. It’s a clear pattern.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 9, 2022
Along these same lines, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Russia has a “long and well-documented” record of using chemical weapons, citing the Kremlin’s attempt to kill opposition leader Alexei Navalny by using the Novichok nerve agent. Psaki also gave the example of Russia’s support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who received Moscow’s backing after his use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war. She also called out China for endorsing Russia’s claims.
Additionally, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby dismissed Russia’s accusations as “laughable” and “classic Russian propaganda,” saying Moscow is attempting to “create a narrative that of victimhood.” Reiterating the point made by other Biden administration officials, Kirby affirmed that there are no plans for biological warfare in Ukraine.
Likewise, a Ukrainian presidential spokesperson told Reuters, “Ukraine strictly denies any such allegation.”
According to Arms Control Association, the US is expected to completely destroy its chemical weapons stockpile by 2023 based on its obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997. As of 2021, Washington had destroyed 96.25% of its chemical weapons.
Chinese Foreign Ministry: "The US has 336 labs in 30 countries under its control, including 26 in Ukraine alone. It should give a full account of its biological military activities at home and abroad and subject itself to multilateral verification."pic.twitter.com/SP4lBq83Um
— 曹 毅 CAO Yi أبو وسيم (@CaoYi_MFA) March 8, 2022
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged that Ukraine, in partnership with the US, is running a secret “military biological programme.” According to Zakharova, Russian intelligence gained access to documents that show the Ukrainian Health Ministry ordering its biological labs to immediately eradicate dangerous pathogens such as anthrax, rabbit fever, and cholera from its store. She said such actions were in violation of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, without providing further details on the documents.
⚡️ Maria #Zakharova:
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) March 8, 2022
💬 We can conclude that components of biological weapons were being developed in Ukrainian laboratories in direct proximity to Russian territory.
🔗 https://t.co/6vqfEEGpdQ pic.twitter.com/Z4ehZ04SHC
Echoing Russia’s concerns, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the US to provide a complete account of its domestic and international “biological military activities” that can be verified multilaterally.
Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US had on multiple occasions raised concerns over Russia planning a “false flag” operation in Ukraine. Days before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces into Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken detailed Moscow’s elaborate plan to attack Kyiv.