Opinion: Belarus, Russia are able to ensure their biological security

MINSK, 1 February (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia are able to ensure their biological safety and security, national security expert Aleksandr Tishchenko told a BelTA correspondent.

According to the expert, at present the Union State is facing the threat of biological aggression from the West. “Biological safety and security matters are taking on new significance now. The Americans are expanding bio-laboratories that develop biological warfare systems. It has got to the point when the term “gene wars” appeared. We are talking about biological weapons that purposefully destroy a certain type of people based on racial and genetic features,” he said.

The expert draws attention to the fact that international organizations have lost control of this matter in recent years. “A striking example is that such laboratories exist on the territory of neighboring states. The strains that were present in the laboratories in Ukraine targeted citizens of the former Soviet Union republics. And the United States is saying this openly,” the expert said.

Aleksandr Tishchenko believes that the intergovernmental memorandum of understanding on ensuring biological safety and security that was signed in Minsk on 19 January will help strengthen the Union State and curb the threats coming from the activities of the defense ministries of third states and related organizations. “The document provides for a regular exchange of information between the appropriate structures for the timely development of response measures. It is important to prevent uncontrolled penetration of biological agents into our territories. We should join efforts and do our best to make sure that our people will not feel anxious about this matter,” the expert concluded.

It should be noted that the problem of biological safety and security is high on the agenda of Belarus' chairmanship in the Collective Security Treaty Organization in 2023.