In October, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the US was redeploying its dual-use biological research from Europe to Africa, namely to such countries as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Uganda and South Africa.
"Of course [we are concerned]. It must be said that the United States has already deployed a wide network of biological laboratories on the territory of the African continent. This is the zone that is considered by biologists and scientists as the zone of genesis of the main viruses," Ozerov said, when asked whether Moscow was concerned that the US might be expanding the network of its biological laboratories in Africa.
He also said that Africans were only allowed into certain areas, and therefore were deprived of control over research taking place in such laboratories — a fact posing a serious threat.
Since March 2022, Russia has also on many occasions accused the US of conducting biological research for military purposes in Ukraine, pointing out that up to 30 biological laboratories in Ukraine have been involved in biological weapons production. Washington has denied the allegations.