Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, all biological weapons programs were grouped under the single organization of Biopreparat (Russian: Биопрепарат) from 1973. Its 30,000 employees helped to develop research and to produce pathogenic weapons for the defense of the Soviet Union. The project was reportedly initiated by academician Yuri Ovchinnikov who convinced Leonid Brezhnev that development of biological weapons was necessary ^[1]. The Biopreparat complex suffered with the collapse of the Soviet Union, since several large bioweapons production lines have been officially closed. Its current state is unknown, however it is likely that Biopreparat and successor entities continued bioweapons research and development at least through the 1990s. ^[1] 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... For the use of biological agents by terrorists, see bioterrorism. ... Yuri Anatolievich Ovchinnikov (1934-1988) was a Soviet bioorganic chemist. ... Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev Russian: ; January 1, 1907 [O.S. December 19, 1906] – November 10, 1982) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, at first in partnership with others. ...

Biopreparat was the largest producer of anthrax for the Soviet Union. Additionally, Biopreparat was a leader in the development of new bioweapons technologies.

Pathogens that were successfully weaponized by the organization included (in order of completion):

• Smallpox
• Bubonic plague
• Anthrax
• Venezuelan equine encephalitis
• Tularemia
• Influenza
• Brucellosis
• Marburg virus (believed to be under development as of 1992)
• Ebola (believed to be under development as of 1992)
• Machupo virus (believed to be under development as of 1992)

Annual production capacities for many of the above listed pathogens were in the tens of tons, typically with redundant production facilities located throughout the Soviet Union. The anthrax production facility in Sverdlovsk) in 1979 has been prominently featured and studied (see also Sverdlovsk anthrax leak). Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a highly contagious disease unique to humans. ... Bubonic plague is the best-known variant of the deadly infectious disease plague, which is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. ... Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne viral pathogen that causes Venezuelan equine encephalitis or encephalomyelitis (VEE). ... Tularemia (also known as rabbit fever) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. ... Influenza, commonly known as flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). ... The Marburg virus is the causative agent of Marburg hemorrhagic fever. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Ebola is the common term for a group of viruses belonging to genus Ebolavirus, family Filoviridae, which cause Ebola hemorrhagic fever. ... Species Machupo virus Bolivian Haemorrhagic Fever (Machupo), more commonly known as Black Typhus, was first identified in 1959. ... Photograph of snow-covered Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburgs Church on the Blood, built on the spot where the Tsar and his family were murdered. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... Spores of anthrax were accidentally released from a military facility in the city of Sverdlovsk (formerly, and now again, Yekaterinburg) 900 miles East of Moscow on April 2, 1979. ...

Dr. Kanatjan Alibekov (also known as Ken Alibek), was the First Deputy Director of Biopreparat from 1988 to 1992, when he defected to the United States. Dr. Alibekov wrote the book Biohazard detailing his extensive inside knowledge of the structure, goals, operations and achievements of Biopreparat. Dr. Alibekov was also featured in the October 13, 1998 episode of Frontline (PBS TV series). Dr. Kanatjan Alibekov (or Americanized Ken Alibek) was born in Kazakhstan. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Frontline is an hour-long public affairs television program produced at WGBH in Boston, Massachusetts, and distributed through the Public Broadcasting Service network in the United States. ...

References

External links

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/plague/
• http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/11813/
• Information about Biopreparat from FAS
• MIT Technology Review article featuring a lecture by Dr. Serguei Popov, a former Biopreparat researcher working on recombinant DNA techniques for developing novel biological weapons