Abdullah Bozkurt
In a cache of documents submitted to the UN Security Council, Russia accused Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar Makina of involvement in a plot to equip its drones with chemical and biological warfare capabilities at the request of Ukraine, an accusation that was denied by Turkey.
Delivering a statement at the UN Security Council in March 2022, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said Russian authorities intercepted documents from Baykar Makina, the manufacturer of Bayraktar drones, that suggested Ukraine wanted to convert drones into a delivery mechanism for deadly airborne agents.
“The documents indicate that the Kiev regime attempted to get access to technical opportunities for delivery of hazardous biological agents by air. Last year Ukraine sent a request to the Turkish manufacturer of UAVs Baykar Makina regarding the possibility of equipping the Bayraktar drones with equipment enabling them to spray more than 20 liters of aerosol while flying for more than 300 kilometers,” Nebenzia said. “If equipped with such aerosol system and having 300-kilometer flight range, such a drone will pose a real threat of spraying hazardous biological aerosols over the territory of Russia.”
A copy of the letter sent to Baykar Makina by Ukrainian authorities and the response from the Turkish manufacturer were provided to members of the UN Security Council on April 19, 2022.