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NBCNov 25, 2021
US Alleges Russia May Use Chemical Weapons, Sends Mixed Messages on US-Funded Biolabs
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Image copyright: AP Photos [via the Independent]
The Facts
White House press sec. Jen Psaki last Wed. alleged that Russia may use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. No evidence was provided. Meanwhile, she dismissed Russia's accusation of US support for a "military-biological program" in the country.
This comes as Russia's Foreign Ministry published documents on Mar. 6 that it claimed were evidence of the program found during a military operation. The authenticity of the documents hasn't been confirmed.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
Russia's claims of US-backed bio-weapons facilities in Ukraine is typical propaganda. As Psaki said, this is an obvious ploy by Russia to justify its further premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has its own notorious history with chemical weapons.
Pro-Russia narrative
The documents – which show Ukraine's Ministry of Health ordering bio-labs to destroy pathogens including anthrax and cholera on Feb. 24 – are proof that the US violated Article 1 of the UN's Biological Weapons Convention in facilitating this research. The international community should be seeking answers.
Establishment-critical narrative
The US media has for weeks dismissed claims that US-backed biological weapons labs existed in Ukraine. Nuland's admission that they are worried of "biological research facilities" falling into Russian hands isn't proof these are bio-weapons labs, but suggests that tough questions about these labs should be pursued rather than dismissed.
