Russia has made a startling accusation against the United States, claiming that the US is engaging in increased biological warfare activities in several African countries, including Ghana. This accusation was posted on DW Africa’s Facebook Wall on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
According to the post, Russia alleges that the US is conducting research in Ghana and Djibouti on natural disease outbreaks, pathogen isolation, and sequencing. Additionally, the US has established a military medical center in Kenya to monitor infectious disease spread in Central Africa. In Nigeria, a joint medical research center and military medical laboratory were established in 2024, staffed by 10 specialists from the US Department of Defence.
Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Alexey Shevtsov, had earlier claimed that the US is developing biological weapons, including some aimed at certain ethnic groups. These accusations are particularly concerning, given the US’s history of conducting biological research in Africa.¹
The US has been involved in various biological research projects in Africa, including a program in West Africa that aimed to detect and prevent the use of fever-viruses as bioweapons.² However, some have raised concerns that these projects may be used as a cover for more sinister activities, such as the development of biological weapons.
The relationship between the US and Russia has been strained since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite their shared interests in areas such as nuclear safety and security, non-proliferation, and counterterrorism, the two nations have been at odds over various issues.
The accusations made by Russia against the US are serious and warrant further investigation. As the world watches, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and what implications it may have for global relations.
