Kazakhstan Denies US-Funded ‘Military Biological Lab’ Seized By Rioters After Russia Claims Potential Pathogen Leak

Kazakh officials have denied that a US-funded ‘military biological laboratory’ was seized by rioters in the recent unrest, which has seen at least 160 dead since the violence broke out just one week ago.

It is unclear whether the deaths, reported by the health ministry to state news channel Khabar-24, are primarily civilians or law enforcement according to the Daily Mail – however officials said on Sunday that at least 16 police or national guard members had been killed. Pictures of Kazakh secret service operatives killed during the unrest have also been released.

According to Russian media, the biolab near Almaty – built in 2017 and used to study outbreaks of particularly dangerous infections – was ‘compromised,’ resulting in a potential leak of dangerous pathogens. Kazakh officials have denied the claim.

The secret bio-laboratory funded by the US defence department – which has links to Russian and Chinese scientists – was also compromised in the disturbances, according to social media claims that it was seized.

‘This is not true. The facility is being guarded,‘ said the health ministry which is responsible for the Central Reference Laboratory, in Almaty.

Official Russian news agency TASS had highlighted alleged social media reports that it was taken over by ‘unidentified people’ and ‘specialists in chemical protection suits were working near the lab so a leak of dangerous pathogens could have occurred‘.

The laboratory’s existence has been controversial and in 2020 the country formally denied that it was being used to make biological weapons.

At the time, the Kazakh government stated: ‘No biological weapons development is underway in Kazakhstan – and no research is conducted against any other states.’ -Daily Mail

Of course, since the source of the claim is Russian state media, one should take it with the same grain of salt as any state-sponsored outlet (or their legacy media mouthpieces).- READ MORE