U.S. storing ‘dangerous pathogens’ at biolabs in Ukraine, China says

China accused the U.S. military of operating “dangerous” biolabs in Ukraine, echoing a Russian conspiracy theory that Western officials warned could be part of an effort to retroactively justify President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

“U.S. biolabs in Ukraine have indeed attracted much attention recently,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday in response to a question from a local reporter, adding that “all dangerous pathogens in Ukraine must be stored in these labs and all research activities are led by the U.S. side.”

He called on “relevant sides to ensure the safety of these labs” and said “the U.S., as the party that knows the labs the best, should disclose specific information as soon as possible, including which viruses are stored and what research has been conducted.”

The comments mirror the diversion tactics China’s diplomats used last year when questioned about the origins of Covid-19. Back then they frequently pointed to Fort Detrick, a U.S. military facility in Maryland that the Soviet Union falsely claimed in the 1980s was the source of the virus causing Aids and that Zhao again referenced Tuesday.

Britain’s Defense Ministry said in a Tweet on Tuesday that it had noticed an up-tick in allegations by Russia that Ukraine is working on biological or nuclear weapons. “These narratives are long standing but are currently likely being amplified as part of a retrospective justification for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” it added.

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