Russia claims it found evidence of Ukraine destroying US-funded bioweapons programme

As Russian troops entered Ukraine, government in Kyiv ordered “emergency destruction” of pathogens including plague and anthrax at US-funded laboratories near Russian border, Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on Sunday. Earlier, re were reports that Russian military was targeting US-run Biolabs that were written off as conspiracy ories; Russia has promised to back up its claims with documents.

“We have received documentation from employees of Ukrainian bio laboratories on emergency destruction on February 24 of especially dangerous pathogens of plague, anthrax, tularemia, cholera and or dely diseases,” re a statement from Russian Ministry.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov on Sunday said that during Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, evidence of a US-financed military biological programme developed in country was revealed. 

Russian news ncy TASS quoted Konashenkov as saying, "In course of special military operation, evidence of Kyiv regime’s hasty measures to conceal any traces of military biological programme, finance by US Department of Defense in Ukraine, has been revealed". 

According to Konashenkov, employees of Ukrainian biolaboratories provided information that said especially hazardous pathogens: plague, anthrax, cholera, tularemia, and or lethal diseases infecting nts h been urgently destroyed on February 24.

Russian Defence Ministry has furr informed that Pentagon was frightened that secret biological experiments in Ukraine will be exposed after launch of special military operations. Ministry has informed that results of analysis of documents will be shared in near future. 

Russia-Ukraine war: Russia anunces ceasefire in 4 Ukrainian cities

Russia's Defence Ministry on Saturday h declared a partial ceasefire to allow humanitarian corridors out of Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Volvakha. "From 1000 Moscow time (0700 GMT), Russian side declares a ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave Mariupol and Volvakha," Russian news ncies quoted Russian defence ministry as saying. Mariupol officials said that as Russian forces are violating ceasefire by resuming shelling, evacuation efforts in city h to be halted. 

On Monday, Russian President Vlimir Putin, after a conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron,  declared a ceasefire in four Ukrainian cities, including capital Kyiv. or cities where a ceasefire has been declared include Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. ceasefire will come into effect at 10 am Moscow time (12.30 pm IST).

According to UN, at least 364 civilians are confirmed to have been killed and ar 759 wounded in Ukraine since Russia started military operations on February 24, although true numbers are probably "considerably higher".