Ukraine War
Dozens of biological laboratories in Ukraine are operated under the order of the US Department of Defense: China
Kyiv/Washington/Beijing/Geneva/New York: Ukraine’s Enerhoatom National Nuclear Energy Company today claimed that Russian forces had once again damaged the power lines to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and that the emergency crews were forced to enter “hostile territory” once more to conduct repairs. It warned that the Russian forces were planning to “dispose of” munitions near the ruins of the Chernobyl training centre. “In other words, they are planning to blow up explosives directly in front of the 1st nuclear power unit of the NPP,” it claimed.
Earlier in the day, the International Atomic Energy Agency had stated that the 211 members of staff of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant were not able to maintain effective repairs and maintenance due to “psychological and physical fatigue and pressure from the Russian occupiers”. The IAEA also expressed its concerns that staff rotations at Chornobyl NPP weren’t happening.
Meanwhile, Russian forces also destroyed the main bridge between the cities of Zaporizhia and Enerhodar near Europe’s largest Nuclear Power Plant. “Travel is possible only via rural roads. Evacuation and delivery of humanitarian aid remain impossible,” Enerhoatom claimed.
The negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations have been rescheduled for tomorrow. Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine noted that a “technical pause” was taken for additional work in subcommittees and clarification of specific definitions/terms in the negotiation process.
In the meantime, Beijing today said it had been playing “a constructive part in promoting peace talks”. The top priority at the moment is for all parties to exercise restraint, cool the situation down instead of adding fuel to the fire, and work for diplomatic settlement rather than further escalate the situation, China stated.
In a sensational revelation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing that according to information released lately, dozens of biological laboratories in Ukraine are operated under the order of the US Department of Defense, and the US has invested more than $200 million in the activities of these laboratories.
“The relevant US research is aimed at creating a mechanism for the covert spread of deadly pathogens,” Lijian claimed and cited unnamed Russian officials, who claimed that Russia has found more than 30 biological laboratories belonging to the US in Ukraine. “Emergency destruction was carried out on the relevant projects, but traces of plague, anthrax and other pathogens were found. US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland acknowledged that Ukraine has “biological research facilities” and that the US is working with the Ukrainian side on how they can prevent any of those “research materials” from falling into the hands of Russian forces. US media also reported that the US government lied about the secretive biological labs in Ukraine and withheld the truth about the real purpose of supporting these laboratories from the American people. The WHO also recommended that Ukraine destroy high-threat pathogens stored in the country’s public health laboratories,” Lijian said. He mentioned that biological military activities in Ukraine “are the common concern of the international community”.
As Russian forces continue to pound Ukrainian cities and civilian areas, the Head of the Riven Regional Administration said in a Russian artillery strike on the TV tower in the Rivne region, 9 people were killed, and 9 more were injured. The Chernihiv Water Utility Company claimed four civilians were killed in a Russian bomb explosion that destroyed a city water pumping station in Chernihiv. A 15-year-old child died as a result of artillery shelling in Derhachi town (Kharkiv region), the Head of Kharkiv Region Police Investigation Department claimed.
The World Health Organization today claimed in Geneva that the current estimated number of people impacted in Ukraine was 18 million, of which 6.7 million were internally displaced. Nearly 3 million people had fled the country and supply chains had been severely disrupted.
Many distributors are not operational, some stockpiles are inaccessible due to military operations, medicine supplies are running low, and hospitals are struggling to provide care to the sick and wounded, the WHO stated. It said that as the Health Cluster Lead Agency, it was working with partners to alleviate shortages of life-saving equipment and medication, such as oxygen and insulin, surgical supplies, anaesthetics, and transfusion kits to collect, test and safely transfuse blood. “Oxygen generators, generators to maintain electrical supply in affected health facilities, defibrillators, monitors, anaesthesia drugs, rehydration salts, gauze and bandages are among the medical supplies WHO and partners are shipping into Ukraine to save lives and maintain health services,” it stated.
The United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke today with French MFA Secretary-General Francois Delattre, German MFA State Secretary Andreas Michaelis, Italian MFA Secretary General Ettore Sequi, and UK Minister of State for Europe and North America James Cleverly. The participants discussed further measures to hold Russia accountable for a war of Moscow’s choosing, including by imposing further economic costs. They discussed the provision of additional coordinated security and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. They also emphasized their continuing support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and their resolve to stand with Ukraine.
In New York, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed correspondents outside the Security Council chamber, and said that with each passing hour in Ukraine, the death and destruction is getting worse: “Whatever the outcome, this war will have no winners, only losers.”
– global bihari bureau
