CBRN event in Ukraine on Wed 5th August 2026

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) reports that russian invaders are deliberately creating conditions for the spread of anthrax in the temporarily occupied areas of the Kherson region.

This involves transporting the carcasses of livestock infected with anthrax to burial sites in the occupied region. There are up to 50 such burial sites in the occupied part of the Kherson region, with around 10 considered particularly dangerous, including those near the settlement of Skadovsk. 

The russians are disposing of infected animals without complying with any sanitary standards. Instead of being properly incinerated, infected livestock carcasses are simply buried. Many of these sites are in extremely neglected condition and are located near roads and settlements — in some cases, less than 1 kilometer from residential areas.

The burial grounds containing infected livestock lack secure fencing and other protective structures. Over time, the soil covering the graves subsides; however, the russian occupation authorities have failed to carry out the maintenance required to ensure biological safety.

Some of these sites are located in areas with high groundwater levels, further increasing the risk of anthrax spreading. The pathogen can remain viable in soil for decades or even a century.

The uncontrolled burial of infected livestock and the complete disregard for safety measures at these sites by the russian occupiers pose a direct threat to civilians living in the temporarily occupied territories, as well as to the agricultural sector of the Kherson region, due to the increased risk of soil contamination and the infection of healthy animals.

The deliberate or negligent creation of conditions for an anthrax outbreak is yet another crime committed by the aggressor state of russia and constitutes an act of biological terrorism against civilians living in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

It cannot be ruled out that russia may use these burial sites to stage a false-flag operation. In addition to a potential kinetic strike on sites containing anthrax-contaminated animal burial grounds, such a scenario could also involve an information and propaganda campaign aimed at accusing Ukraine of developing or using so-called "biological" weapons.