On March 8, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland commented on a recent Russian Ministry of Defense announcement it had obtained documents proving the existence of biological weapons programs in laboratories financed by the United States in Ukraine.
Sen. Marco Rubio: Does Ukraine have chemical or biological weapons?
Victoria Nuland: Ukraine has biological research facilities which, in fact, we’re now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces may be seeking to gain control of, so we are working with the Ukrainians on how we can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach.
Sen. Marco Rubio: I’m sure you’re aware that the Russian propaganda groups are already putting out there all kinds of information about how they have uncovered a plot by the Ukrainians to unleash biological weapons in the country, and with NATO’s coordination. If there is a biological or chemical weapon incident or attack inside Ukraine, is there any doubt in your mind that 100% it would be the Russians behind it?
Victoria Nuland: There is no doubt in my mind, senator. And in fact, it is a classic Russian technique to blame the other guy for what they are planning to do themselves.
Until yesterday this was “fake news” and “conspiracy theory”. Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland just confirmed that #Ukraine has “biological research facilities”, when asked if Ukraine has bioweapons. She also said US is worried Russia may get “those research materials” pic.twitter.com/xY2a7KuUCG
— Dilyana Gaytandzhieva (@dgaytandzhieva) March 9, 2022
Until then, the US government and media outlets had dismissed evidence of biological research laboratories as Russian disinformation and QAnon conspiracy theory.
Despite Nuland’s confirmation, Biden Administration officials continue to insist the claims are false.
White House spokesperson posted a lengthy Twitter thread calling the claims “preposterous” and “disinformation,” however declining to address the comments made by Nuland.
We took note of Russia’s false claims about alleged U.S. biological weapons labs and chemical weapons development in Ukraine. We’ve also seen Chinese officials echo these conspiracy theories.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 9, 2022
Journalist Dilyana Gaytandzhieva has spent years investigating US-funded biological laboratories in Eastern Europe.
She spoke with MintPress News’ Dan Cohen about her investigations into similar Pentagon-funded laboratories.
Gaytandzhieva’s reports have proven that Pentagon-funded laboratories have conducted potentially lethal experiments on thousands of soldiers in Ukraine and Georgia.
.@dgaytandzhieva revealed in January 2022 that the US conducted potentially lethal biological experiments on 4,400 soldiers in Ukraine and 1,000 soldiers in Georgia. https://t.co/4BASAor35A pic.twitter.com/jEaVccQnZm
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) March 9, 2022
“If this is not of concern, if these are just simple viruses and pathogens, why are US officials so worried,” she wondered.
“If this is not of concern, if these are just simple viruses/ pathogens, why are US officials so worried?” – journalist @dgaytandzhieva on Russia potentially controlling Pentagon-funded biological labs in Ukraine.
Full interview here: https://t.co/4BASAor35A
via @MintPressNews pic.twitter.com/Ai2SFZOZnA
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) March 9, 2022
Gaytandzhieva reported in 2018 that the US embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, was complicit in secretive military programs and that Pentagon scientists had transported “frozen human blood and pathogens as diplomatic cargo for a secret US military program.”
These scientists were “given diplomatic immunity to research deadly diseases and biting insects at the Lugar Center – the Pentagon biolaboratory in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi,” she wrote.
Cohen and Gaytandzhieva also discussed censorship policies implemented in the European Union, and the recent pledge of Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s comments that Russia “looks like a Petrol station with rockets.”
Despite Petkov’s remarks, he has asked that the European Union exempt Bulgaria from sanctions on purchasing Russian gas and oil, which his country is totally reliant on.
Petkov also offered to send Bulgarian military equipment to Ukraine.
“After Bulgaria joined NATO, we were told to destroy everything so we would be totally reliant on NATO,” Gaytandzhieva explained.
Featured Photo: State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria J. Nuland speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)
Dan Cohen is the Washington DC correspondent for Behind The Headlines. He has produced widely distributed video reports and print dispatches from across Israel-Palestine. He tweets at @DanCohen3000
