"Russia's Poorly Guarded Past"

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June 17, 2002

 

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

"Russia's Poorly Guarded Past"

Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (06/17/02) P. A1; Warrick, Joby

 

Russia possesses a number of once-secret facilities used for bioweapons research, and while some of them have been turned to other uses--such as the manufacture of medicines--some still have the ingredients needed to create biological weapons, and they are not well-guarded.  Biological weapons directed against livestock or agriculture could cripple a nation's economy or they could even damage a nation's ability to feed its people, and U.S. officials say that the secrecy surrounding Soviet work in the past makes it hard to keep dangerous supplies away from terrorists.  Russia says it has stopped offensive bioresearch and destroyed its bioweapons, but it is still doing research with dangerous microbes to develop vaccines and drugs.  Pokrov Biologics Plant director Vladimir Gavrilov says that there have been break-ins and suspicious people trying to purchase items, but he does not think than any attempt succeeded; the plants do not have enough money to be properly secure, but Western governments have done almost nothing to help.  Pokrov has the ability to grow smallpox virus, and Gavrilov is trying to find Western help, such as joint ventures to help pay for new equipment and U.S. governmental help for a new security system.

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