16 November 2023 , 20:42
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Russia's top security official today warned of biological warfare and ordered regional governors to put their economies on a war footing.
Security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev, 72, is seen by some as Vladimir Putin’s likely successor. A strong anti-Western hardliner, he claimed that the conflict in Ukraine could see biological warfare while also suggesting a new round of mobilisation in Russia after heavy losses of conscripts.
Putin was briefly seen today chairing a security council meeting but it was Patrushev who cranked up fears among Russians and Ukrainian and Western biological threats. "There is a high probability of the Ukrainian side completely losing control over biological facilities,” he said.
Putin during a Security Council meeting today (Kremlin.ru/e2w)“Unauthorised access to collections of dangerous pathogens, destruction and looting of laboratory premises, as well as loss of biological samples, cannot be ruled out….” He warned of Ukraine infecting refugees who travel from war-ravaged areas to Russia.
"The likelihood of committing terrorist acts and sabotage attacks using biological agents has increased”, he said. Critics say Patrushev - seen as wielding huge control in the Kremlin - is deliberately spreading paranoia, and could even signal a Russian false flag plan to use bio-weapons.
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Patrushev repeated Moscow's conspiracy theories that the United States has been trying to develop "artificial pathogens and microorganisms" in laboratories set up in Russia's neighbouring countries, including Ukraine. "Taking into account the risks and threats to biological security, I ask regional heads in cooperation with the federal executive authorities to ensure, first of all, that biologically dangerous facilities be protected against terrorists.”
Russia needed a “sanitary shield”, he said. "It is necessary to develop a system for monitoring biological risks, preventing and eliminating biological threats, and neutralising the fallout from their use.”
He demanded officials “ensure the work of the necessary number of radiation and chemical monitoring stations of civil defence facilities in the regions”. Russia must “expand the production of domestic vaccines and drugs against infections”, he insisted in a speech in Voronezh.
Patrushev - formerly head of the FSB security service - demanded more action from border regions to protect Russia against drone attacks from Ukraine. Regional governors must ensure that mobilisation plans for the economy of the Russian regions and municipalities are developed”.
This is seen as a strong hint that a new wave of mobilisation is coming. "I ask the heads of regions and federal executive authorities to personally control the implementation of these tasks,” he said.“Specific attention should be paid to the safety of bio-hazardous facilities.”