The Russian side considers the decision of the American authorities to add to its blacklist two research institutes of the Russian Defense Ministry and the State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology groundless and intends to receive explanations from Washington. This was stated by the Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov on Wednesday, August 26.
Antonov noted that the diplomatic mission is aware of the fact that the American authorities suspect Russian research institutes of links with the program of chemical and biological weapons, but added that no evidence of these allegations was presented.
The diplomat also recalled that at the moment it is the United States that owns a significant stock of chemical warfare agents and is dragging on their destruction under various pretexts. Antonov called on Washington to stop looking for non-existent problems and make efforts to speed up chemical demilitarization, the diplomatic mission’s Facebook page says.
On August 26, it was reported that the Bureau of Industry and Security of the US Department of Commerce blacklisted the 33rd Central Research and Testing Institute (33rd Central Research Institute) and 48th Central Research Institute (48th Central Research Institute) of the Ministry defense of Russia.
The inclusion of Russian research institutes on the lists of the US Department of Commerce means that the US authorities impose restrictions on the export, re-export and transfer of goods in accordance with the existing regulations to persons and organizations that pose risks to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.