#BiologicalWeapons #Disinformation #Russia #1972BWC #UkraineRussiaWar️️
Instrumentalising Biological Weapons-Related
Allegations: Russia’s Compliance Politics and
the Norms Against Biological Weapons
by
@u_jako @CBWNet
cbwnet.org/media/pages/publi…
In 2022, Russia invoked the compliance procedures of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) over
its allegations that the United States and Ukraine were carrying out biological activities in violation of the BWC. At a Formal Consultative Meeting (FCM) held under BWC Article V at Russia’s request in September
2022, Russia presented its claims, whereas the United States and Ukraine emphasized the peaceful and
cooperative nature of their activities. The 89 states parties to the BWC that participated in the FCM,
including Russia, the United States and Ukraine, could not agree on a common assessment of the
allegations. A qualitative content analysis of their statements showed, among other things, that some
states saw the Russian concerns as not fully resolved and that several others did not take a stand at all,
but that the majority of speakers rejected the Russian allegations as unfounded and insincere. No
country supported Russia’s claim that the United States and Ukraine were in non-compliance with the
BWC. Russia then invoked BWC Article VI that provides for the involvement of the UN Security Council. However, a majority of the Council members did not accept a Russian draft resolution aimed at setting an inquiry in motion, for procedural reasons and for lack of credible evidence for the allegations. The Security Council did not address the matter any further.
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