By A death in a Siberian anti-plague laboratory and the ensuing quarantine of two hundred people have sparked widespread concern over Russia’s biological weapons program. In typical Russian fashion, the Kremlin has not been particularly forthcoming with details despite calls for transparency, leaving many wondering what they may be trying to cover up. Marshall Billingslea, a Hudson Institute senior fellow and former Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control, joins Vandenberg Director of Government Affairs Anne Lord to shed light on the incident and discuss the Russian biowarfare threat.
(0:06) Overview
(1:08) Russian Response to Lab Incident
(3:06) Lab Worker’s Death
(4:49) Origins of Russian Bioweapons Program
(7:42) Current Russian Bioweapons Research
(9:34) Russian Approach to Warfare
(10:29) Recent Growth in Russia’s Bioweapons Program & Defector Allegations
(12:23) Chinese and Russian Relations & Chinese Bioweapons Research
(14:28) Recommendations for American Response
(17:23) World Health Organization & Parallels between COVID and Russian Lab Incident
(19:27) Hopes for December Biological Weapons Convention Meeting
You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
