On the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region, Russian military forces and the occupation administration are creating conditions for the spread of the anthrax pathogen.
This was reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
According to intelligence, the Russians are transporting carcasses of livestock infected with anthrax to animal burial pits in occupied Kherson. There are about 50 such sites in the region, and at least ten of them pose the greatest threat, including those near Askania-Nova, Skadovsk and Zaliznyi Port.
The GUR notes that infected animals are disposed of without observing sanitary standards. Instead of burning, the carcasses are simply buried in the ground. Some of the animal burial sites are in a neglected state and are located near roads and residential buildings.
It is also reported that the burial sites do not have proper fences or protective structures, and the necessary maintenance to ensure biological safety is not carried out. The location of some sites in areas with a high groundwater level poses an additional threat.
The intelligence service emphasizes that the anthrax pathogen can persist in the soil for decades, so uncontrolled burial of infected livestock poses a threat both to local residents and to the region’s agricultural sector due to the risk of contaminating soils and healthy animals.
In addition, Ukrainian intelligence does not rule out that Russia may use the animal burial sites to carry out provocations and information operations with subsequent accusations against Ukraine of alleged use or production of “biological weapons”.