Lugar Labs Controversy

Yesterday, Igor Kirilov, Commander of the Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops from the Russian Defense Ministry held a special briefing where he asked Georgia and the United States to explain why, he believes, chemical and biological weapons ammunition are kept in the facilities of Lugar Laboratory in Tbilisi. Kirilov claimed that Russian scientists had studied materials published by the former Minister of State Security of Georgia, Igor Giorgadze, about work of the Richard Lugar Public Health Research Center and says they identified that "various types of ammunition needed for the provision of chemical and biological weapons are noted in a number of patents.”

“It is a logical question - why are such materials kept at the Richard Lugar Public Health Research Center? We hope that the Georgian and American sides will give us a clear answer,” said Kirilov.

The United States’ Pentagon responded. “The US is not developing biological weapons in the Lugar Center. These are also not US facilities. The Richard G. Lugar Center for Public Health Research is owned and operated by the Georgian National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC),” said Defense Department Spokesman Eric Pahon.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Veterans Today

Related Stories: De-Facto Leaders of Georgian Occupied Territories Meet in South Ossetia