The World Is Unprepared for the Unthinkable

As Russia continues to attack Ukraine this week, targeting civilian locations in Kyiv using drones, the risk of deployment of a biological attack—the deliberate use of an infectious agent to cause harm—is an increasing concern in Ukraine, and throughout Europe and North America. It also adds to the existing threat of the use of nuclear weapons.

If a biological attack were suspected, it would require a rapid public health response and if investigation suggested it was not a naturally occurring outbreak, a forensic investigation would be required to determine its source. While mechanisms for investigating a possible chemical or nuclear attack largely exist, there is no comparable mechanism for biological agents. Failing to establish clear processes to investigate and determine blame for a biological attack may inadvertently encourage the use of these weapons. The world makes clear: no one gets to use a biological weapon and gets away with it.