The Kremlin has pushed false claims that the U.S. is working with Ukraine on bioweapons labs, a narrative that QAnon has picked up and further distorted.
It may make me boring, but I suspect it really is just fairly benign biological research on common infectuous diseases. Those labs would have to have dangerous materials, in the form of samples of common infectuous diseases. Russia may be worried about them being released into a zone they are about to occupy, the west is certainly detached enough from reality that they have no problem believing Putin would release them into areas that he is occupying or intending to occupy and China after two years of Covid news must absolutely relish the opportunity to talk about dangerous diseases grown in American labs.
I think the way every side has reacted/overreacted is perfectly explained by everyone pointing fingers over a small risk that some normal samples of mumps or polio or something could get out from some research labs that were in Ukraine because there are biologists in Ukraine and biologists work in labs, which was financed to whatever extent by the US because the US is likely financially involved in pretty much all labs in Europe at the least.
Not that the US would not be developing truly horrific biological weapons of course, I just don't think they would be keeping the T-virus or genetically engineered super smallpox in a bunch of labs in Ukraine, and if there was something truly biblical there I think we would see more urgency.
EDIT: Also, whatever is in those labs, absolutely no one wants it released to infect people, so I don't see that happening either.
I know for a fact that I live near several biological research labs with significant American funding that have samples of various infectuous diseases. That is why I see no reason to believe these are some super secret special labs that work on unique bioweapons rather than normal diseases. My theory is just not very juicy, but I think it does a good job explaining what the labs are and everyone's reaction.
You are of course right that those samples are no joke, but I feel like Russia is pointing them out partly to say "Everyone, be really careful not to blow a hole in this building and cause some kind of uncontrollable outbreak of an infectious disease in a country we share a 2000 km land border with.". The west is pointing to them and saying Putin might spread the diseases, but really they are also saying "Everyone, be really careful not to blow a hole in this building and cause some kind of uncontrollable outbreak of an infectious disease in a country where a significant percentage of the population is streaming into literally every NATO country as refugees.". And Ukraine is pretty much just looking around and going "I don't think anthrax would improve the current situation".
So, bad as it could be with one of those labs that as you said are very common, I feel like this is the ridiculously roundabout way that everyone is coming together and deciding to not release anything from those labs.
It may make me boring, but I suspect it really is just fairly benign biological research on common infectuous diseases. Those labs would have to have dangerous materials, in the form of samples of common infectuous diseases. Russia may be worried about them being released into a zone they are about to occupy, the west is certainly detached enough from reality that they have no problem believing Putin would release them into areas that he is occupying or intending to occupy and China after two years of Covid news must absolutely relish the opportunity to talk about dangerous diseases grown in American labs.
I think the way every side has reacted/overreacted is perfectly explained by everyone pointing fingers over a small risk that some normal samples of mumps or polio or something could get out from some research labs that were in Ukraine because there are biologists in Ukraine and biologists work in labs, which was financed to whatever extent by the US because the US is likely financially involved in pretty much all labs in Europe at the least.
Not that the US would not be developing truly horrific biological weapons of course, I just don't think they would be keeping the T-virus or genetically engineered super smallpox in a bunch of labs in Ukraine, and if there was something truly biblical there I think we would see more urgency.
EDIT: Also, whatever is in those labs, absolutely no one wants it released to infect people, so I don't see that happening either.
These sort of biolabs are everywhere. You probably live near one.
Anthrax is no joke and anywhere in the world that raised a lot of cattle, sheep. or goats will have these labs guaranteed.
I know for a fact that I live near several biological research labs with significant American funding that have samples of various infectuous diseases. That is why I see no reason to believe these are some super secret special labs that work on unique bioweapons rather than normal diseases. My theory is just not very juicy, but I think it does a good job explaining what the labs are and everyone's reaction.
You are of course right that those samples are no joke, but I feel like Russia is pointing them out partly to say "Everyone, be really careful not to blow a hole in this building and cause some kind of uncontrollable outbreak of an infectious disease in a country we share a 2000 km land border with.". The west is pointing to them and saying Putin might spread the diseases, but really they are also saying "Everyone, be really careful not to blow a hole in this building and cause some kind of uncontrollable outbreak of an infectious disease in a country where a significant percentage of the population is streaming into literally every NATO country as refugees.". And Ukraine is pretty much just looking around and going "I don't think anthrax would improve the current situation".
So, bad as it could be with one of those labs that as you said are very common, I feel like this is the ridiculously roundabout way that everyone is coming together and deciding to not release anything from those labs.