WHO Asks Ukraine to Destroy High-Threat Lab Pathogens to Prevent Leaks - Report

The World Health Organisation has revealed that it asked Ukraine to destroy deadly pathogens placed in the country's lab to prevent the possible spill at the time of war.

But the UN health agency did neither specify the time about its recommendation nor did it reveal the kind of pathogens which were placed in the Ukrainian labs, supporting a Russian claim which said that deadly pathogens were placed in Ukraine's laboratories, which the US operates as biowarfare labs.

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WHO, US and EU Support Ukraine's Labs

The WHO also maintained that like many other countries Ukraine has also pathogens labs to learn and research about the severe disease and Kyiv's programs have massive support from the global health agency, the US and the European Union.

When asked about the WHO's work in Ukraine ahead of Russia's invasion, the health agency in an email replied to Reuters stating that it has collaborated with Ukrainian public health labs for several years to promote security practices that help prevent "accidental or deliberate release of pathogens."

WHO Recommended to Destroy High-Threat Pathogens

"As part of this work, WHO has strongly recommended to the Ministry of Health in Ukraine and other responsible bodies to destroy high-threat pathogens to prevent any potential spills," said the WHO in the mail.

WHO
World Health Organization Reuters

The health agency also did not reveal the timing when it made recommendations to Ukrainian bodies regarding the destruction of the deadly pathogens. The WHO also did not provide the details of what kind of pathogens or toxins are placed in the Ukrainian laboratories.

It came as Russia on Wednesday made claims that the US operates a biowarfare lab in Ukraine. Moscow also conveyed that the documents unearthed by the Kremlin's forces in Ukraine showed "an emergency attempt to erase evidence of military biological programs" by destroying lab samples.

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