rki.news | Source: Anadolu Agency
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday urged Russia to provide greater transparency and detailed information about a fatal biological laboratory incident in Siberia.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir in Reykjavik, Rubio said Russia should share more information with the international community.
He said infections occurring inside specialized facilities naturally raise concerns, particularly following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Rubio cautioned against speculation over whether the incident involved an intentionally altered pathogen.
“It would be reckless” to draw conclusions without comprehensive facts, he said, adding that Washington could not yet determine whether the incident was limited or potentially more serious.
Rubio said US and international agencies were monitoring the situation “hour by hour” to ensure governments could respond appropriately once verified information became available.
The comments followed reports that a 28-year-old female researcher at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died after contracting pneumonia of unknown etiology, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
Russian consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said the epidemiological situation remained stable.
US President Donald Trump said Washington was closely monitoring developments and remained ready to assist Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed the offer.
Rubio Calls for Transparency Over Siberian Laboratory Incident
