ZKEA

Emerging Diseases : Biological Terrorism : Biological Warfare

Soviet Union, Biopreparat, Russia

Biopreparat had research labs and testing centers scattered across the Soviet Union. Tens of thousands of scientists and engineers were gainfully employed in the program. The work was prestigious and well-paid. Like the infamous Gulags, this archipelago of disease was a major industry in its own right and a symbol of the destruction that humanity is capable of inflicting.

Under Biopreparat the Soviets weaponized and tested anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhus, Q fever, smallpox, botulinum toxin, ebola, marburg and venezuelan equine encephalitis. In addition the Soviets tested pathogens that targeted domestic crops and animals. Then many of these agents were duly loaded onto missiles and pointed at the United States and various other enemies of the people. The Soviets were nothing if not thorough.

The Soviets also pioneered the application of genetic techniques in the creation of their weapons. The simplest of these was to locate and preferentially breed strains of pathogens that either was more virulent, resistant to treatment, or both. For example, the Russians isolated strains of anthrax and smallpox that were unusually lethal and used these as the basis of their initial weapons. From there the Soviets applied more advanced techniques, such as isolating the basis for antibiotic resistance and then engineering the required genes into their weaponized organisms. The result was weapons that not only killed universally but were immune to any all known treatments.

Technology didn't stop there, however. Another Soviet innovation was chimeric organisms. In Greek mythology a chimera was a beast that was a combination of several different monsters. In modern bioweapon parlance, chimeras are organisms that combine "desired" characteristics from multiple sources, creating super-organisms far more terrible than ever occurred in nature. Among other things, the Soviets created veepox, which is a combination of Venezuelan equine encephalitis and smallpox. It is also reported they spliced DNA from ebola into influenza.

The main testing of weapons took place on Vozrozhdeniye ("Rebirth" in English, ironically enough) Island in the Aral sea. This island was chosen due to its remoteness, ease of security, and the fact the wind patterns would blow any unfortunate accidents into uninhabited areas. On the island aerosol agents and bomblets were tested in the open air, validating dispersion and infection designs. Needless to say, over the years the island became a biological disaster, particularly as the Aral Sea continued to dry up. Right now the island remains an island, but as the sea shrinks the endgame is clear. Soon this biological wasteland, covered with anthrax spores and other agents will join the mainland ...

There were numerous other weapons facilities dispersed from Belarus to Siberia to Kazakhstan. Some were research laboratories, some were biological factories, while others specialized in weaponization equipment. Security was extraordinarily tight. Yet because of the size and ambitious spread of Biopreparat, occasionally something would go wrong. For example, in 1979 a technician forgot to replace an air-filter in an anthrax factory near Sverdlovsk. Perhaps he was just innately careless, or perhaps he had drunk too much vodka the night before. In any case, a plume of anthrax spores duly escaped and floated downwind to the city. Shortly thereafter people began dropping dead in the streets. The city was sealed off and mass vaccinations and antibiotic treatments ordered. Because of the fast response, fatalities were limited a few hundred dead. Generally however, the Soviets succeeded in avoiding such disasters. (And when disasters did ensue, they were expert at covering them up. Officially the Sverdlovsk incident was attributed to "tainted meat").

There are persistent rumors of another accident in 1982, this one involving weaponized smallpox. An unknown number of civilians died when the virus escaped from a weapons lab. The epidemic was contained - barely - due to harsh military-style quarantine measures. Chillingly, all the people who died in this event had been vaccinated for smallpox. Apparently this Soviet version was designed to be immune to the vaccine.

The Soviet Union is gone. What happened to all these weapons and to the scientists that produced them? Much has been accounted for, but much has also gone "missing". Further, it is known that a number of states have taken great interest in Biopreparat's weapons and its researchers. Some are known to now be in Iran, others in Libya. Terrorist groups are known to have gone to Kazakhstan on shopping expeditions. It's a fair bet that they aren't shopping for the latest clothing.

Of course the Russians claim that everything is secure and nothing could possibly have been sold or stolen. But consider that a vial of viruses sufficient to destroy a city can fit into your coat pocket. And consider that many will pay large sums of money to acquire such a vial. Finally, take a look at the myriad ex-Soviet installations, often guarded by nothing more than slice of barbed wire backed by an underpaid drunk. The situation does not inspire confidence.

For obvious reasons, The United States has taken a deep interest in the situation. Since 1995 the U.S. has been actively working with Russia, Kazakhstan and other former Soviet republics, aiding in the dismantling the weapons sites and providing alternative employment for the scientists. Some in the American congress have complained about the cost of these programs - a clear indication that some politicians have zero understanding of the threat these weapons pose to the entire world.

Link: Excellent Senate Summary of BW and Biopreparat - Richard Preston
Link: Former Soviet Biological Weapon Facilities
Link: Good Executive Summary of Biopreparat
Link: The Bioweaponeers - Biopreparat Exposed, Ken Alibek
Link: Russia's Poorly Guarded Past
Link: Dr. Ken Alibek Testimony To US Congress (chimera, biological warfare,biopreparat)
Link: PBS Plague War. Dr. Frank Malinoski Interview On Inspections, Vector, Biopreparat
Link: Interview with Dr. Key Alibek: Prepare For The Worst