U.S. Embassy denies Medvedchuk's report on 'unlawful cooperation' between Ukraine, U.S.

"The U.S. Embassy would like to set the record straight regarding disinformation spreading in some circles in Ukraine that mirrors Russian disinformation regarding the strong U.S.-Ukrainian partnership to reduce biological threats," the statement said.

The Embassy stressed that in Ukraine, the U.S. Department of Defense's Biological Threat Reduction Program works with the Ukrainian Government to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian government facilities, while allowing for peaceful research and vaccine development.

"We also work with our Ukrainian partners to ensure Ukraine can detect and report outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they pose security or stability threats. Our joint efforts help to ensure that dangerous pathogens do not fall into the wrong hands," the statement said.

The diplomatic mission said the United States is "proud to partner with the Ministry of Health, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, and the Ministry of Defense to make us all safer."

Commenting on accusations against the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) regarding the alleged creation of weapons of mass destruction, the Embassy recalled that this intergovernmental organization was established by international agreement in October 1993. The current Parties to the STCU are Azerbaijan, the European Union, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, the United States, and Uzbekistan.

"The STCU seeks to advance global peace and prosperity through cooperative Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation by supporting civilian science and technology partnerships and collaboration that address global security threats and advance non-proliferation," the Embassy said.

On April 15, the Opposition Platform – For Life party posted on its website a statement by the chairman of the party's political council, Victor Medvedchuk, in which he said that he, together with MP Renat Kuzmin, submitted a deputy appeal to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov and SBU Chief Ivan Bakanov "with the demand that the authorities publish the facts of unlawful 'cooperation' between Ukraine and the U.S. in the sphere of the functioning of American biological laboratories in our country – 'cooperation' that started began back during the presidency of Yushchenko, lasted under President Poroshenko and is maintained under the current government."

op