Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Directorate (DIU) has accused Russia of engaging in biological terrorism by allegedly dumping anthrax-infected cattle carcasses in burial sites in the occupied Kherson region. Ukrainian officials report that these carcasses are being placed less than a mile from residential areas, with as many as 50 such burial locations identified, including 10 deemed particularly dangerous.
According to the DIU, the occupying Russian forces are burying the infected livestock instead of properly incinerating them. This practice, particularly near cities such as Askania-Nova, Skadovsk, and Zaliznyi Port, allegedly lacks biosecurity measures like protective fencing, increasing the risk of anthrax spores spreading into the environment. Anthrax is a serious bacterial disease that can be fatal to humans, and its spores can remain viable in soil for decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The DIU stated that Russia's actions constitute "another crime committed by the aggressor state of Russia and constitutes an act of biological terrorism against civilians living in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine." The agency also noted the possibility that Russia might use these hazardous sites for a false-flag operation, potentially involving an information campaign to accuse Ukraine of developing or using biological weapons.
These allegations emerge amidst a recent escalation of Russian attacks on Ukraine. In the capital city of Kyiv, recent drone and missile strikes have targeted residential areas, killing at least a dozen people in one overnight incident and at least 31 people the previous week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated calls for Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defense systems, specifically requesting more Patriot missiles, arguing that a failure to do so emboldens Russia to prolong the conflict.