Disinfo: Ukrainian migrant workers brought COVID-19 to Spain and Italy from secret US labs

Summary

There are 15 biological laboratories and 2 research institutes dealing with biological weapons in Ukraine. This information was obtained thanks to the confusion at the US Embassy in Ukraine at the time of the departure of Marie Yovanovich from her post. The embassy’s website contains classified information about Ukrainian biological laboratories.

There is a lot unclear in this issue: there are no laboratories, but they are there. More precisely, they exist on American money and carry out research within the framework of the Pentagon programmes, but “this is different”. In Georgia it was the same – most of the experimental “rabbits” died from experiments. And the residents of the area where the biolaboratory of the Lugar Center is located cannot now boast of excellent health.

The information about the COVID-19 epidemic is strictly classified in Ukraine. The main reason is the transcendent number of Pentagon biological laboratories that are involved in this epidemic.

Wuhan, where the first case of COVID-19 infection was allegedly detected exactly a year ago, is also the proud owner of an American biolaboratory on its territory. In China, strict quarantine measures were taken, so COVID-19 could not spread so rapidly around the world. But given the fact that these viruses were produced in Kharkov, one can explain the lightning-fast spread of the disease in Spain and Italy – countries where there are traditionally many Ukrainian migrant workers.

Disproof

This article is a mixture of disinfo claims about coronavirus and "secret" US laboratories in Georgia and Ukraine.

It starts by claiming that secret data about Ukrainian biological laboratories appeared on the official website of US embassy in Ukraine. Actually this data is not and was not secret. In April 2020, the official website of US embassy in Ukraine published its response regarding disinformation on the strong U.S.-Ukrainian partnership to reduce biological threats (available in English and Ukrainian).

"Here in Ukraine, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program works with the Ukrainian Government to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian government facilities, while allowing for peaceful research and vaccine development. We also work with our Ukrainian partners to ensure Ukraine can detect and report outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they pose security or stability threats", - the statement said.

Russian media were actively spreading disinformation about "15 secret military biological laboratories in Ukraine". If fact, there are no secret US laboratories in the country. A complete list of medical and scientific laboratories that the Pentagon has supported under the agreement since 2005 is on the website of the US Embassy in Ukraine, along with documents and amounts spent on the reconstruction of a particular facility.

The article continues claiming that "in Georgia there was a similar thing - most experimental "rabbits" died from experiments".

This is another recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, already debunked, about the Lugar lab. Pro-Kremlin disinformation has been disseminating conspiracy theories about the work of the Lugar Laboratory for years, claiming that it aims to spread dangerous viruses and export them to Russia. The Central Public Health Reference Laboratory (CPHRL), the so called Lugar Laboratory was opened in 2011 under the Framework Agreement signed in 1997 and the Agreement on Cooperation in the Area of Prevention of Proliferation of Technology, Pathogens and Expertise Related to the Development of Biological Weapons signed between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Georgian Defence Ministry in 2002. The United States provided a total of USD 350 million for the construction and technical equipment of the laboratory. In 2013 the laboratory moved to subordination of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) and from 2018 the Government of Georgia will assume responsibility for full funding and operation of the Lugar center and laboratory network.

There is also disinformation about the 2019-nCoV coronavirus in this article. There is no evidence to suggest that the virus has been fabricated inside laboratories. The expert scientific consensus holds that the coronavirus has natural origins; there is no evidence supporting claims of laboratory engineering. Read a similar case claiming that Coronavirus came out of a Wuhan Lab.

There is also no evidence to back up the claim that the spread of coronavirus in Spain and Italy was due to Ukrainian migrant workers as well as that coronavirus is being produced in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 224
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 01/12/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Italy, Spain, US, Ukraine
  • Keywords: coronavirus, Ukraine, Lugar Laboratory, laboratory, Kharkiv, Eastern Ukraine, Biological weapons, Ukrainian statehood, Conspiracy theory
see more

Disinfo: A civil war began in Ukraine after the clique seized power in the country

The Maidan turned in to a civil war. The clique seized power in the capital and immediately began suppressing the citizens who opposed the overthrow of the legitimate government. The junta began to suppress the peaceful resistance of the Southern and Eastern oblasts of Ukraine. That eventually led to a civil war in Ukraine. On the one hand, there was a fascist clique with its own Bandera ideals, on the other, those who did not recognise the coup that had taken place in the country.

Disproof

This is an example of recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the 2013-2014 Maidan protests and the war in Ukraine.

The war in eastern Ukraine was not caused by the Euromaidan. Protests in favour of EU association and reforms were held in all major cities of Donbas. The war is not a civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces.

Disinfo: Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention

Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention by refusing to collaborate with Russia in the situation over the Alexei Navalny poisoning.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation claiming that Germany did not collaborate with Russia in the investigation into the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and that Germany violated the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Regarding the collaboration between Germany and Russia during the investigation, Berlin provided data on Navalny to the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, of which Russia is a member. Berlin’s Justice Ministry also approved a request from Moscow for legal assistance in the investigation of the poisoning, and tasked state prosecutors with working with the Russian authorities.

Disinfo: By supporting protesting Belarusians Lithuania hopes to get more money from Brussels

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania presented an initiative to provide cost-free visas for Belarusians persecuted by the political regime in the home country. Lithuania is trying to show that many Belarusians do not support Alyaksandr Lukashenka as president and hope to get more money from Brussels. This initiative is bait for people who do not think about the consequences of their activities. The Lithuanian government aspires to create anti-Lukashenka and anti-Belarusian sentiment in society. The real interest of Vilnius is financial. Lithuania, as the main manipulator in the Belarusian events, seeks to get support from Brussels.

<…>

Lithuania actively intervening into events in Belarus since the beginning of protests against Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Vilnius supports the Belarusian opposition and urges to hold new elections in the neighbour country. Belarusian authorities say that Vilnius, Warsaw and other countries are interfering in the internal affairs of Belarus and are trying to control the opposition.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus.

The claim that Lithuania is "intervening into events in Belarus” and seeking financial interests is unfounded. Lithuania is a neighbour of Belarus and it continues to support the Belarusian people. In the context of brutal persecution of protesters in Belarus, Lithuania made some steps to support civil society in the neighbour country. Earlier Lithuania opened the special “humanitarian corridor” for Belarusians and allow them to arrive under the so-called humanitarian exception. Vilnius University offered free studies and scholarship to Belarusian students. The proposal of issuing free national visas to Belarusians who are persecuted by the regime is only one more step to support people in needs.