Russia accuses US President Joe Biden's son of financing military-bio research in Ukraine

Russia has launched another attack on the United States on the biological weapons front as it now claims that the fund of US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden is connected with financing bio-activities in Ukraine. Igor Kirillov, Chief of Russian Defense Forces, said in a press briefing, “Structures close to the  US leadership, in particular the investment fund Rosemont Seneca, headed by Hunter Biden is involved in the financing (biolab) activities. The fund has significant financial resources in the amount of USD2.4 billion”.

The US reportedly tried untested drugs on Ukrainian soldiers. Since such activities are prohibited in the US, they were allegedly carried out by the pentagon abroad. Ukraine has a network of bio-labs dedicated to research into pathogens and have received funding and research support from the US. 

The research being carried out in these labs are said to be part of the Biological Threat Reduction Program which aims to reduce the likelihood of deadly outbreaks.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the company is linked with the financing of the US projects which is assisting Ukraine in the alleged manufacturing of bio-weapons. 

Russia insecure over America's assistance to Ukraine

For almost two weeks, the US has been warning Ukraine about Russia's intention of using biological weapons. Moscow, in turn, has blamed the US for operating bio-labs in Kyiv, however, both sides have rejected reports presented by the other. In the past, Russia has even mocked the US media reports wherein the experts "feared" that Putin plans to unleash such threats. In a tweet posted by the Russian Embassy in the UK, Moscow stated this is what Russia was also saying all along, that bio-laboratories do exist and biological weapons were developed in Ukraine. 

In early March, Moscow had said at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that it had documents on a "network of biological weapons" in Ukraine and that Russia has credible proof to back its claims. It even said that the manufacturing of such weapons was being funded by the US. "Ukraine agreed to practice experimental bio labs which are very dangerous to the world. These experiments portrayed potential risks to the entire country. Don't know why Kyiv implemented these experiments," Russia had said. 

Russia calls on the US to destroy its stock of chemical weapons

Turning it back on the US, Russia on March 23 called on the US to turn on its stock of chemical weapons that it still possesses. In a tweet posted on Wednesday, The Russian Embassy in the US said that the latter still has 3% of chemical weapons and is deliberately delaying in destroying them. This statement was in response to Under Secretary of State for Arms Control & International Security, Bonnie Jenkins who demanded Russia to declare all its chemical weapons. 

Image: AP