Biopreparat

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Before the collapse of the USSR, all biological weapons programs were grouped under the single organization of Biopreparat (Russian: Биопрепарат) from 1973. Its 30,000 employees helped to develop research and to produce pathogenic weapons for the defense of the Soviet Union. The project was reportedly initiated by academician Yuri Ovchinnikov who convinced Leonid Brezhnev that development of biological weapons is necessary ^[1]. The Biopreparat complex suffered with the collapse of the USSR, since several large bioweapons production lines have been officially closed. Its current state is unknown, however it is likely that Biopreparat and successor entities continued bioweapons research and development at least through the 1990s. ^[1]

Biopreparat was the largest producer of anthrax for the USSR. Additionally, Biopreparat was a leader in the development of new bioweapons technologies.

Pathogens that were successfully weaponized by the organization included (in order of completion):

Smallpox
Bubonic plague
Anthrax
Venezuelan equine encephalitis
Tularemia
Influenza
Brucellosis
Marburg virus (believed to be under development as of 1992)
Ebola (believed to be under development as of 1992)
Machupo virus (believed to be under development as of 1992)

Annual production capacities for many of the above listed pathogens were in the tens of tons, typically with redundant production facilities located throughout the Soviet Union. The anthrax production facility in Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk) in 1979 has been prominently featured and studied (see also Sverdlovsk anthrax leak).

Dr. Kanatjan Alibekov (also known as Ken Alibek), was the First Deputy Director of Biopreparat from 1988 to 1992, when he defected to the United States. Dr. Alibekov wrote the book Biohazard detailing his extensive inside knowledge of the structure, goals, operations and achievements of Biopreparat. Dr. Alibekov was also featured in the October 13, 1998 episode of Frontline (PBS TV series).

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Alibek,K. and S. Handelman. Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World - Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran it. 1999. Delta (2000) ISBN 0-385-33496-6 [1]