Anastasia Ryabokon23:17, 07.10.26

In what is now Russia, there have already been cases where deadly strains have escaped from laboratories.

The world should demand an independent investigation into the death of 28-year-old Daria Shipilova , an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Russia. This is according to the Atlantic Council , which analyzed Russia’s experience in developing biological weapons.

“Independent organizations must be able to establish the cause of Shipilova’s death,” the author writes, noting that this requires preserved samples, clinical and laboratory records, and an independent examination of the evidence “while it still exists.”

However, if anyone who came into contact with her becomes ill despite appropriate treatment or prophylaxis, investigators will need to consider the possibility of a resistant strain. 

Experiments with the plague

The authors recalled that the USSR had been developing and expanding a biological weapons program for many decades since the 1920s. They experimented with modifying and combining various types of biological agents to create more powerful weapons, but the plague was the primary agent.

The opinion of American biological and chemical weapons specialist Raymond Zilinskas is cited, stating that nominally civilian units also worked with dangerous strains, and military facilities were directly linked to the “biological weapons program.”Read also:

It is noted that, according to State Department data from 2025, Russia’s offensive biological weapons program was never completed, and “military-linked laboratories are expanding.” In its 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence noted that Russian scientists continue to develop new chemical and biological agents. The assessment warned that “dual-use biotechnology may increase the risk of accidental release of pathogens.”

“The expansion of these programs demonstrates Russia’s continued interest in biological research in a military context, including work with potential dual-use applications,” the article says.

The authors also write that Russia has repeatedly used chemical weapons locally in the war against Ukraine. However, for now, it adheres to the norm against the “large-scale use of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.”

Incident at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute

As a reminder, several theories about Shipilova’s death have surfaced in Russian media. Initially, the official head of the Buryat region claimed she died of the plague, but the statement was later edited to include the word “possibly.” It was reported that a vial containing infectious agents may have broken in her hands several days earlier. Then, a theory emerged that the cause of death was common pneumonia. Meanwhile, at least 200 people who may have been in contact with her were quarantined.

How anthrax “escaped from a laboratory” in the USSR

In 1979, Siberian flu spread in Sverdlovsk, killing at least 68 people. Soviet officials kept the military’s origins a secret, blaming contaminated meat for the outbreak. But in 1992, the military admitted responsibility.

Plague in Russia – more news

As a reminder, following the first reports of the death of an employee of the Anti-Plague Institute on October 2, a quarantine was imposed in Irkutsk . This included the closure of the hospital where she was treated. Pharmacy and gas station employees were required to wear masks and gloves.

Authorities initially announced a travel ban in the area surrounding the institute, but later lifted the ban. Many other reports about the incident were also amended or deleted.

Attempts to conceal the real state of affairs are reminiscent of the Soviet authorities’ attempts to cover up the Chernobyl accident in its early days. Russia is expected to deny the incident and conceal this information for years. This means the world will have to rely on intelligence data. 

(C)UNIAN 2026