Intelligence Reports

Sergiev Posad-6: A Step Towards Biowarfare?

The recent improvement of the Sergiev Posad-6 facility, Russia’s former biological warfare research lab, and Russia’s disinformation campaign surrounding other nations’ biological labs has raised concern about the possibility of Moscow having a renewed interest in biological weapons development. 

Sergiev Posad-6, originally named Zagorsk-6, served as a bioweapons research lab during the Cold War. This lab is located on the outskirts of the city of Sergiev Posad. The lab conducted work on the Variola virus (the causative agent of Smallpox), anthrax, the plague, and others. Since the beginning of the war with Ukraine, observers have documented renewed activity around the lab, including the construction of rooftop air-handling units, partitioned labs, underground construction, security features, and a possible power plant. 

Russian officials have confirmed that the lab will study deadly diseases to better protect themselves against bioterrorism and pandemics. The lab is under the management of the Russian military and is overseen by Colonel Sergey Borisevich. The activity going on in the lab ranges from secret research to more public innovations. For example, in 2020, scientists of the Sergiev Posad-6 helped to develop the Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine. However, most of the activity of the lab is secret. Some observers hypothesize that part of its work is the genetic engineering of diseases.

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The New Zealand Special Air Service: Who Dares Wins

The 1st New Zealand Special Air Service, also known as 1 NSAS Regt or the NZSAS, is the special forces unit of the New Zealand Army. Modelled on the British SAS it was formed on 7 July 1955. Tracing its origins to WW2 and the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), it is the supreme special forces unit of the New Zealand Defence Force. 

Having been operationally deployed to many combat theatres throughout its nearly 80-year history, several members of the unit have also been awarded high honours and awards. Notably, the unit received the United States Presidential Unit Citation for the contribution of the NZSAS in the War in Afghanistan. Tasked with conducting counter-terrorism and overseas special operations, the NZSAS is highly trained and is well equipped to deal with any threat that faces New Zealand.