"West is working on developing biochemical weapons in Georgia" - TASS

Russian propaganda on biological weapons in Georgia

The Russian government propaganda agency TASS reports that the West is conducting “dangerous experiments” on patients in psychiatric institutions in Ukraine and Georgia to develop new types of “biological and chemical weapons.” The propaganda outlet is spreading this information, citing Mikhail Kovalchuk—a so-called “prominent researcher” with connections to the Kremlin.

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“In the interview with TASS, Kovalchuk claimed, ‘It is no coincidence that as soon as the Soviet Union collapsed, the Americans entered all our former republics and socialist countries, taking full control of our sanitary-epidemiological stations and acquiring all the collections of viruses and bacteria stored in these countries.’

He alleged that the Americans pay ‘special attention’ to collections of endemic Russian bacteria and viruses, which he believes cannot be accidental.

‘We already see, for instance, near Kharkiv in Ukraine and in Georgia, that they conducted extremely dangerous research in violation of all moral and legal norms, specifically on psychiatric hospital patients, aiming to develop biological and new chemical weapons,’ Kovalchuk added.”

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This is not the first time Russia has spread conspiracy theories about the West supposedly developing biochemical weapons in Georgia and Ukraine.

For years, the Lugar Laboratory has been a target of Russian propaganda. Kremlin-affiliated media, supported by pro-Russian resources in Georgia, have waged an information war against this center. Documentaries have even been made accusing the Lugar Laboratory of spreading dangerous viruses in Georgia.

In Georgia, it is claimed that Russian disinformation typically targets successful programs implemented in the country. For instance, the program to eradicate hepatitis C also frequently becomes a target of Russian disinformation.

On July 12, 2022, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated in an interview with TASS that Washington conducts biological research at the Lugar Laboratory. “This biological facility is involved in research on using insects as carriers for particularly dangerous biological and infectious agents,” Zakharova claimed.

During the global coronavirus pandemic, the modern Lugar Laboratory played a crucial role in ensuring public health safety. Experts recognize that the center’s preparedness is one of the main reasons for Georgia’s success in combating the virus.