Russia considers its claims that Ukraine conducted a military biological program an important issue for the whole world, which needs to know the truth, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
Russia's Foreign Ministry earlier demanded that the United States explain to the world why it had supported what Moscow cast as a military biological program involving deadly pathogens including plague and anthrax.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova demanded transparency from Washington over the allegation, which is denied by Kyiv and which a Pentagon spokesperson has described as "absurd." She said evidence of the alleged programs had been uncovered by Russia during what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, which its forces invaded on Feb. 24.
"We can already conclude that in Ukrainian biological laboratories in direct proximity to the territory of our country, the development of components of biological weapons was being carried out," she said, adding Russia had documents showing that the Ukrainian Health Ministry had ordered the destruction of samples of plague, cholera, anthrax and other pathogens after Feb. 24.
It was not possible to independently confirm the authenticity of the documents.
In response to earlier Russian allegations about the military biological program in Ukraine, a Pentagon spokesperson said on Tuesday, "This absurd Russian misinformation is patently false."
A Ukrainian presidential spokesperson said, "Ukraine strictly denies any such allegation."
Zakharova said the alleged program was financed by the Pentagon. "We are not talking here about peaceful uses or scientific goals ... What were you up to there?" she asked.
"The U.S. Defense Department and the presidential administration of the U.S. are obliged to officially explain to the global community, officially, not through talking heads, about the program in Ukraine. We demand details," she said. "We demand, and the world awaits," she added.
Zakharova said it was not clear if the alleged materials had indeed been destroyed and asked, "Have they fallen into the hands of extremists or nationalists – who will provide a guarantee?"
Meanwhile, however, the U.S. said Tuesday it was working with Ukraine to prevent invading Russian forces from seizing biological research material amid concern governments or unscrupulous actors might try to use such items to create bioweapons.
"Ukraine has biological research facilities, which in fact we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of," senior State Department official Victoria Nuland told U.S. lawmakers at a hearing when asked directly whether Ukraine has bioweapons. "So we are working with the Ukrainians on how they can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach," she testified.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio noted there were "Russian propaganda" reports claiming the discovery of a plot by Ukrainians to release biological weapons, with coordination from NATO. Asked by Rubio if a biological or chemical weapon attack were to occur inside Ukraine, whether Russians would be behind it, Nuland asserted, "There is no doubt in my mind, senator."
"And it is a classic Russian technique to blame on the other guy what they're planning to do themselves," she added.
On March 6, Moscow's Foreign Ministry tweeted that Russian forces found evidence that Kyiv was "eradicating traces of the military-biological program in Ukraine," financed by the Pentagon.
The Atlantic Council, a think tank headquartered in Washington, says the Kremlin was seeking to justify its invasion by pushing a false narrative that Ukraine was developing dirty bombs and biological weapons.
The council said there was no evidence Ukraine was creating such weapons.