The commander of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, has asserted that the United States hampers the proper functioning of the Biological Weapons Convention by prioritizing the interests of large pharmaceutical firms. He voiced these concerns during a public briefing summarizing recent assessments and discussions within the Russian security community. According to Kirillov, the BTWC framework in the early post–Cold War era included mutual steps to open non-military laboratories to oversight by American and British authorities, a move he portrays as a commitment to transparency that should have supported global health and safety standards. He notes that a team of Russian experts conducted inspections of Pfizer facilities as part of these visits, with inspection notices issued two days in advance to allow for prepared entries. The general emphasizes that this scheduling was intended to maintain orderly and accountable procedures under the treaty while enabling constructive dialogue about dual-use research and potential risks. (Citation: Russian Ministry of Defense briefing, 2024)
Kirillov contends that the response from major US pharmaceutical producers to these inspections was sharply negative. He describes the industry as arguing that such controls threaten commercial interests and intellectual property protections. In his view, this stance contributed to friction, with Washington allegedly blocking subsequent attempts to extend routine checks under the BTWC framework. The general suggests that the pushback reflects a broader tension between security obligations and proprietary rights in the realm of global health and biosecurity, a topic that continues to feature prominently in international debates and policy discussions. (Citation: Expert analysis from the Russian defense community, 2024)
Further, Kirillov argues that the interests of large American pharmaceutical companies influence the way research is conducted and where certain studies take place. He contends that ethically controversial or potentially high-risk projects have, in some cases, been relocated to third countries with looser regulatory regimes, a move he believes serves corporate agendas at the expense of robust oversight and safety. He calls for renewed vigilance within the BTWC framework to ensure that collaboration and legitimate scientific progress do not erode established standards for biosafety, biosecurity, and international accountability. These points form part of a broader critique about how governance, transparency, and enforcement mechanisms operate across borders in the science and medicine sectors. (Citation: Global biosafety forum summaries, 2024)
In his closing remarks, Kirillov referred to exercises and drills conducted in relation to especially dangerous pathogens in regions adjacent to current geopolitical flashpoints, including areas in and around Ukraine. He describes these exercises as part of ongoing readiness and threat assessment efforts that aim to strengthen the ability of the Russian system to detect and respond to potential biosecurity incidents. The commander underscored the importance of clear protocols, cross-border cooperation, and continuous monitoring of dual-use research activities to reduce risk and increase transparency whenever possible, while noting that such exercises necessarily attract international attention and scrutiny. (Citation: Interagency exercise briefings, 2024)