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Russia and Ukraine at war What you need to know right now

March 11, 2022 Europe

8:57 PM GMT+1
Last Updated 20 min ago
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By Jennifer Rigby and Jonathan Landay

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A logo is pictured at the March 11 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization advised Ukraine to destroy
World Health
high-threat pathogens housed in the country's public health laboratories to
Organization (WHO)
building in Geneva, prevent "any potential spills" that would spread disease among the population,
Switzerland, February 2, the agency told Reuters.
2020. Picture taken
February 2, 2020.
REUTERS/Denis Like many other countries, Ukraine has public health laboratories researching
Balibouse
how to mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases affecting both animals and
humans including, most recently, COVID-19. Its labs have received support from
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Reuters.com Biosecurity experts say Russia's movement of troops into Ukraine and

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bombardment of its cities have raised the risk of an escape of disease-causing
pathogens, should any of those facilities be damaged.

In response to questions from Reuters about its work with Ukraine ahead of and
during Russia's invasion, the WHO said in an email on Thursday that it has
collaborated with Ukrainian public health labs for several years to promote
security practices that help prevent "accidental or deliberate release of
pathogens."

"As part of this work, WHO has strongly recommended to the Ministry of Health
in Ukraine and other responsible bodies to destroy high-threat pathogens to
prevent any potential spills," the WHO, a United Nations agency, said.

The WHO would not say when it had made the recommendation nor did it
provide specifics about the kinds of pathogens or toxins housed in Ukraine's
laboratories. The agency also did not answer questions about whether its
recommendations were followed.

Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and at their embassy in Washington did not respond
to requests for comment.

Ukraine's laboratory capabilities have been at the center of a growing

information war since Russia began moving troops into Ukraine two weeks ago.

On Friday, Russia called a meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security Council to

reassert, without providing evidence, a longstanding claim that Ukraine ran
biological weapons laboratories with U.S. Defense Department support. read
more

The accusation has been repeatedly denied by Ukraine and the United States,
where government officials warn Russia may use it as a pretext to deploy its
own chemical or biological weapons.

Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told
the Security Council on Friday that the United Nations is "not aware" of any
biological weapons program in Ukraine, which joined an international ban on
such arms, as has Russia and the United States along with 180 other countries.

U.N. officials have also said the WHO, in its work with Ukraine, is not aware of
any activity in the country that would violate international treaties "including on
chemical weapons or biological weapons.”

The WHO statement to Reuters referred solely to public health laboratories.

The agency said it encourages all parties to cooperate in "the safe and secure
disposal of any pathogens they come across, and to reach out for technical Reuters Business
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Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Jonathan Landay; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Howard
Goller

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