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Center for Countering Disinformation has exposed another Russian propaganda campaign falsely claiming that Ukraine operated “secret biolaboratories” near Donbas where tuberculosis pathogens were allegedly being artificially enhanced.
According to UATV English, the claim was circulated by Russian propaganda outlets citing self-proclaimed “military expert” Igor Nikulin.
In a statement published on Telegram, the CCD said the allegations are part of a long-running Kremlin conspiracy narrative that Russia has promoted since 2014.
“Another batch of absurd claims was voiced to propaganda media by so-called ‘military expert’ Igor Nikulin. He alleged that a network of ‘closed laboratories modernized by the Pentagon’ operated near Donbas, where ‘tuberculosis pathogens were artificially enhanced,’” the Center stated.
The CCD emphasized that Russia has never provided any evidence supporting claims about “secret biolaboratories” or the development of biological weapons on Ukrainian territory.
According to the agency, Russian propagandists routinely distort the activities of ordinary Ukrainian scientific, medical, and sanitary-epidemiological institutions in an attempt to fuel fear and justify Moscow’s aggression.
“The propaganda aims to create the illusion of a threat coming from Ukraine in order to portray the war as a ‘preventive strike,’” the Center said.
The CCD noted that such narratives are a recurring element of Russian information warfare and are intended to manipulate both domestic and international audiences by portraying Ukraine as a security threat.
Earlier, the Center also debunked another Russian fake claiming that “Indian-origin assistants” were helping Ukrainian draft offices patrol city streets.
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