Russia calls vote on unfounded Ukraine bio weapons claims

United Nations: The UN Security Council scheduled a vote on Wednesday on a resolution that would establish a commission to investigate unfounded Russian claims that Ukraine and the United States are carrying out "military biological" activities that violate the convention prohibiting the use of biological weapons.

Russia circulated a 310-page document to council members last week alleging that this biological activity is taking place in Ukraine with support from the US Defense Department. The document included an official complaint to the Security Council, allowed under Article VI of the 1972 biological weapons convention, and a draft resolution that would authorize the Security Council to set up a commission comprising the 15 council members to investigate Russia's claims.

Russia's initial allegation of secret American biological warfare labs in Ukraine, made soon after its February 24 invasion of its smaller neighbour, has been disputed by independent scientists, Ukrainian leaders and officials at the White House and Pentagon.

An Associated Press investigation in March found the claim was taking root online, uniting COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, QAnon adherents and some supporters of former President Donald Trump. Ukraine does have a network of biological labs that have gotten funding and research support from the US. They are owned and operated by Ukraine

and are part of an initiative called the Biological Threat Reduction Program that aims to reduce the likelihood of deadly outbreaks, whether natural or manmade.