Russia Accuses US and Ukraine of Developing Biological Weapons Components Near Its Borders

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Washington and Kiev are implementing a military-biological program in Ukraine, including activities related to the development of biological weapons components near Russia’s borders, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky said during a roundtable discussion on threats linked to the spread of crime and drugs from Ukrainian territory. He noted that since 2001, the United States has blocked efforts to develop a legally binding protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, making it "impossible to monitor such activities by the US." "These threats are confirmed by emerging evidence of Washington and Kiev implementing a military-biological program in Ukraine," Lyubinsky said. "An analysis of the projects carried out in Ukrainian laboratories leads to the conclusion that components of biological weapons were being developed in close proximity to Russia’s borders," he added. The Russian deputy foreign minister also said that the United States and Ukraine had yet to answer the legitimate questions officially raised by Moscow. "We will continue to press the United States to resolve the extremely complex situation regarding compliance with the convention’s obligations," Lyubinsky stated.