Azerbaijan rebuffs Russian claims of biolabs funded from abroad

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan on Saturday dismissed Russian claims of the existence of biological research laboratories financially supported by foreign countries.

The unsubstantiated allegations are causing concern among the public, said Azerbaijan's State Security Service in a statement.

“We note that such scientific centers have never functioned in Azerbaijan, (and) no research has been carried out that could harm the health of the population of the country or citizens of neighboring states,” it said.

It added: "It is regrettable that the information contained in it, without asking the position of the Azerbaijani side, was declared at international events, including in such an authoritative organization as the UN."

Russian officials have recently claimed that there are biological research laboratories operating with US financial support in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan – all former Soviet republics. Moscow cited the claims in launching its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Hitting back at Russian claims of labs meant to develop biological weapons, the US said abroad on the contrary work to curb the spread of bioweapons.