Russian Defense Ministry says analyzing documents re U.S. secret military biological projects in Ukraine

MOSCOW. March 10 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry is analyzing documents received from employees of Ukrainian biological laboratories in regard to secret military biological projects of the United States in Ukraine, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Thursday.

"Russian specialists from the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Forces have studied documents regarding the transfer of human biomaterials taken in Ukraine to other countries on the orders from U.S. representatives," Konashenkov said.

"Detailed information about a U.S. project conducted in the Ukrainian territory to study transmission of pathogens by wild birds migrating between Ukraine, Russia and other neighboring countries aroused particular interest," he said.

"According to the document, the U.S. side was planning to study pathogens of birds, bats and reptiles in Ukraine in 2022 and to analyze their ability to transmit African swine fever and anthrax," Konashenkov said.

"Documents indicate that bat coronavirus experiments were conducted at the biological laboratories opened and funded in Ukraine," he said.

"These and other biological studies in Ukraine funded by the Pentagon aimed to create a mechanism of stealth transmission of lethal pathogens," Konashenkov said.

"We will soon publish a new package of documents received from Ukrainian employees of the biological laboratories and will present results of their analysis," he said.