Moscow, May 26 (UNI) Employees of Askaniya-Nova Biosphere Reserve in the Kherson region, before the start of the special operation, collected strains of the avian influenza virus that could overcome the interspecies barrier, including the H5N8 strain with lethality of up to 40%, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense troops of the Russian armed forces, said on Friday.
"A task force of the Russian Defense Ministry, together with employees of the Federal Security Service and Rosselkhoznadzor [Russian agriculture safety watchdog], confirmed the facts of the collection and certification of strains of the bird flu virus that have a high epidemic potential and are able to overcome the interspecies barrier, in particular, the H5N8 strain, the lethality of which when transmitted to humans can reach 40 per cent " Kirillov told reporters.
Additionally, Ukraine tried to destroy biomaterials left in a Askaniya-Nova Biosphere Reserve biolaboratory, but Russian military scientists managed to identify traces of highly pathogenic bird flu there, the official said.