{"id":75807,"date":"2021-10-29T14:21:44","date_gmt":"2021-10-29T10:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/?p=75807"},"modified":"2022-01-21T10:40:11","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T06:40:11","slug":"five-false-allegations-against-richard-lugar-laboratory-of-tbilisi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/five-false-allegations-against-richard-lugar-laboratory-of-tbilisi\/","title":{"rendered":"Five False Allegations Against Richard Lugar Laboratory of Tbilisi"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In September-October, the Lugar Laboratory once again sparked the interest of the Russian media (YouTube channel Military Arsenal,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>) and Georgian pro-Kremlin sources (Georgia and the World, Beka Vardosanidze, Facebook account Lasha Modebadze). During this period, the aforementioned sources made the following new allegations directed against the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Military Arsenal<\/a>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u0412\u043e\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0410\u0440\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0430\u043b<\/a>\u00a0(Source: Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/armswatch.com\/project-g-2101-pentagon-biolab-discovered-mers-and-sars-like-coronaviruses-in-bats\/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=0700c0cda026ee9f8dba3f953e5ba0b189344c62-1591169729-0-AUWwR7xwDFnvZQEiW5Y-kpMQ-XRmtAwJLhNlIX9lLHpuaRdBJO2rGyDB2UDekeED_u10uv_-ADcfQbjw0IjnAhhP9AT2RfRsUrCh9RCH3oh_dwcAyD3foEwM5ggMn5qO4tQlIlX8fndjCyiCLCEFrJ_Ii8eX_BcX5xnoG1OT3z1KiF9iidGQuJEZge1nf0nABMOS4JPTSAVdVDAt6S4mBMrxO3TLGY7XhUoIqT4osGYBoVh7zMJlB7Zg8lDVTcNxZpA0cgiH5IYFrNA6HouodPzTw7HDEbUwseIDTKVByrzdpldpIvt_-Emodbziy7zeatnkgJtCYelvwf7MthZjDCYxAxyPqzPBS9CdW7LvNt_XGrm4-Uh_wBNdZwcJ1KlP9g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beqa.vardosanidze.1\/posts\/4580172645359561\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Beka Vardosanidze<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>\u00a0(Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>, Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lasha.modebadze.1213\/posts\/249672877123466\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Lasha Modebadze<\/a>\u00a0(Source: Dilyana Gaytandzieva\u00a0 &#8211; Arms Watch):\u00a0<strong>Lugar Lab cooperated with the EcoHealth Alliance to artificially create the coronavirus; COVID-19 was \u2018leaked\u2019 from the Lugar Lab, as the center hosts a special program about bats and coronaviruses since 2017<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Military Arsenal<\/a>\u00a0(Source: Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>),\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>\u00a0(Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>, Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>):\u00a0<strong>A new lab called VSL-2 is being built in Georgia, which will not be controlled by the Georgian government.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Military Arsenal<\/a>\u00a0(Source: Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>),\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>\u00a0(Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>, \u00a0Dilyana Gaytandzieva &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>):\u00a0<strong>Georgian military servicemen took part in an experiment conducted by Lugar Lab and became infected with tularemia in unknown circumstances<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>\u00a0(Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>, Arms Watch),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/notes\/%E1%83%9E%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A2%E1%83%9D%E1%83%99%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%90-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90-%E1%83%90%E1%83%AE%E1%83%90%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A1%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A4%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D-%E1%83%AC%E1%83%94%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%92%E1%83%98\/%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%97%E1%83%A3-%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%90-%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9E%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C-%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/194764632345293\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Lasha Modebadze<\/a>\u00a0(Source:<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>):\u00a0<strong>Patients involved in the Lugar Lab Hepatitis Program died of unknown causes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lasha.modebadze.1213\/posts\/249370413820379\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Lasha Modebadze<\/a>\u00a0(Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Arms Watch<\/a>):\u00a0<strong>The U.S. is collecting genetic material from people of the Caucasus that may be used to create ethnic bio-weapons; Out of the 12 employees of the \u2018Bat research program\u2019 at the Lugar Center, 7 of them were\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lasha.modebadze.1213\/posts\/249335207157233\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">involved<\/a>\u00a0in creating bioweapons<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">video<\/a>\u00a0published on a Russian YouTube channel was shared into a number of Georgian Facebook groups, including the group consisting of the supporters of Levan Vasadze, also\u00a0 \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/778357866336633\/permalink\/1027119134793837\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u10d9\u10dd\u10e0\u10dd\u10dc\u10d0\u10e4\u10d8\u10d0 \u10d3\u10d0 \u10e1\u10d0\u10e5\u10d0\u10e0\u10d7\u10d5\u10d4\u10da\u10dd \u10e0\u10dd\u10d2\u10dd\u10e0\u10ea \u10e1\u10d0\u10d4\u10e5\u10e1\u10de\u10d4\u10e0\u10d8\u10db\u10d4\u10e2\u10dd \u10e5\u10d5\u10d4\u10e7\u10d0\u10dc\u10d0<\/a>\u201d[Corona Mafia and Georgia as an experimental country],\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/432629653525222\/permalink\/4354030584718423\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u201c\u10d0\u10dc\u10e2\u10d8-\u10db\u10d0\u10e1\u10dd\u10dc\u10dd\u10d1\u10d0, \u201c\u10d0\u10dc\u10e2\u10d8\u10e5\u10e0\u10d8\u10e1\u10e2\u10d4\u10e1\u201d \u10d0\u10ee\u10da\u10d0\u10d8 \u10db\u10e1\u10dd\u10e4\u10da\u10d8\u10dd \u10ec\u10d4\u10e1\u10e0\u10d8\u10d2\u10d8, \u10d0\u10dc\u10e2\u10d8-\u10d4\u10d9\u10e3\u10db\u10d4\u10dc\u10d8\u10d6\u10db\u10d8\u201d<\/a>,[Ant-masonry, New world order of the Antichrist, Anti-ecumenism],\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/348396426339998\/permalink\/612576223255349\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u201c\u10dc\u10d0\u10eb\u10d0\u10da\u10d0\u10d3\u10d4\u10d5\u10d8\u10e1 \u10db\u10d0\u10df\u10dd\u10e0\u10d8\u10e2\u10d0\u10e0\u10d8 \u10d9\u10d0\u10dc\u10d3\u10d8\u10d3\u10d0\u10e2\u10d8 \u10d2\u10d8\u10d0 \u10e7\u10e0\u10e3\u10d0\u10e8\u10d5\u10d8\u10da\u10d8\u10e1 \u10db\u10ee\u10d0\u10e0\u10d3\u10d0\u10db\u10ed\u10d4\u10e0\u10d4\u10d1\u10d8\u201d<\/a>, a Czech Facebook group\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/442518126551175\/permalink\/1012731636196485\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Trikol\u00f3ra Hnut\u00ed Ob\u010dan\u016f<\/a>\u00a0and the Facebook page \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/1497943103810556\/posts\/3015365888734929\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u10d3\u10d4\u10d3\u10dd\u10e4\u10d0\u10da\u10d8<\/a>\u201d[Queen]. The video was also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beqa.vardosanidze.1\/posts\/4570225889687570\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">shared<\/a>\u00a0by Beka Vardosanidze on his personal page; Beka Vardosanidze&#8217;s posts were shared by the Facebook account Gabriel Mikaladze, who often spreads anti-vaccine narratives. Lugar Lab was also linked to the coronavirus by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Tsotne.Kverselava\/posts\/4181746918603578\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">account<\/a>\u00a0Tsotne Kverselava.<\/p>\n<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"b93793a0-f324-48c3-b70c-bf2a586f6927\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"Untitled slide project\"><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(e,i,n,s){var t=\"InfogramEmbeds\",d=e.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement(\"script\");o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/js\/dist\/embed-loader-min.js\",d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,\"infogram-async\");<\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>The allegations shared by Russian media and Georgian pro-Kremlin sources contain 5 disinformation elements.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>Disinformation N1:\u00a0 Lugar Lab cooperated with the EcoHealth Alliance to artificially create the coronavirus; COVID-19 was \u2018leaked\u2019 from the Lugar Lab, as the center hosts a special program about bats and coronaviruses since 2017.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The video published by the Russian YouTube channel\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Military Arsenal<\/a>\u00a0links the origin of Covid-19 to Lugar Laboratory and cites documents published on Arms Watch as evidence. The same source has been used by the Russian online publication Svpessa.ru, the material of which has been later published by\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and the world<\/a>. The article of the Bulgarian journalist Dilyana Gaytandzieva on Arms Watch is also the source of Lasha Modebadze&#8217;s posts, while Beka Vardosanidze used the documents published on the portal to ground the arguments mentioned in his posts. The materials showcased on Arms Watch, claiming that Lugar Lab has links to the spread of Covid-19, talk about the partnership between the Lugar Lab and the EcoHealth Alliance in the framework of the ongoing studies on bats and coronaviruses. The evidence for Lugar Lab&#8217;s involvement in the artificial creation of Covid-19 is based on articles published by Dilyana Gaytandzieva in September 2020. In an\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/armswatch.com\/project-g-2101-pentagon-biolab-discovered-mers-and-sars-like-coronaviruses-in-bats\/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=0700c0cda026ee9f8dba3f953e5ba0b189344c62-1591169729-0-AUWwR7xwDFnvZQEiW5Y-kpMQ-XRmtAwJLhNlIX9lLHpuaRdBJO2rGyDB2UDekeED_u10uv_-ADcfQbjw0IjnAhhP9AT2RfRsUrCh9RCH3oh_dwcAyD3foEwM5ggMn5qO4tQlIlX8fndjCyiCLCEFrJ_Ii8eX_BcX5xnoG1OT3z1KiF9iidGQuJEZge1nf0nABMOS4JPTSAVdVDAt6S4mBMrxO3TLGY7XhUoIqT4osGYBoVh7zMJlB7Zg8lDVTcNxZpA0cgiH5IYFrNA6HouodPzTw7HDEbUwseIDTKVByrzdpldpIvt_-Emodbziy7zeatnkgJtCYelvwf7MthZjDCYxAxyPqzPBS9CdW7LvNt_XGrm4-Uh_wBNdZwcJ1KlP9g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">article<\/a>\u00a0published on April 30<sup>th<\/sup>, 2020, Gaytandzieva cited documents that were not available to the general public. The documents talked about a project to study zoonotic pathogens in bats in the Lugar laboratory.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Articles<\/a>\u00a0published on September 6<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0of the same year concerned the collaboration among the Lugar Lab and the EcoHealth Alliance. This topic resurfaced recently following the emergence of questions regarding the EcoHealth Alliance&#8217;s partnership with Wuhan laboratories. Both Gaytandzieva&#8217;s article and YouTube video,\u00a0 as well as other online publications and Facebook posts, have linked the organization to the emergence of Covid-19.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screenshot_23_32.png\" alt=\"&quot;\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"99ff125d-68ab-42d2-8429-185d2da8a8b7\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In reality, the documents concerned a project implemented in collaboration with the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and the Georgian and American Centers for Disease Control to study zoonotic pathogens in bats. The project itself has never been classified, the information being published in the reports of both the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncdc.ge\/Pages\/User\/LetterContent.aspx?ID=33631713-10ba-4754-a8ae-aa11345fe008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgian<\/a>\u00a0Center for Disease Control and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ncdc.ge\/Handlers\/GetFile.ashx?ID=af53c8f1-7461-41b2-b5ff-89140c6e2188\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">ISTC<\/a>. As for the confidential documents released by Gaytandzieva, they contained information about staff salaries and contact details, which are personal data and, as a rule, should not be made public. Hence, This document cannot serve as proof to support the idea about the artificial creation of the coronavirus pandemic, as it simply confirms the fact that the staff has been paid to conduct research. The results of the study on zoonotic diseases are reflected in the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/eprints.iliauni.edu.ge\/8640\/1\/%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A8%E1%83%90%E1%83%AB%E1%83%94.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">dissertation<\/a>\u00a0of Lela Urushadze, senior specialist and virologist at the Center for Disease Control. The study was conducted in 2012 and 2014. Similar studies on bats are being carried out in laboratories around the world, including\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3034350\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As for the partnership between the two establishments, EcoHealth Alliance is an American non-governmental organization that aims to protect humans and animals from new viral diseases. The organization is involved in numerous studies around the world to prevent pandemics. According to the information posted on their website, in October 2017, the organization has launched a bat research project in Western Asia aimed at studying bats and related coronaviruses in the region. Noteworthy, bats naturally\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Coronaviridae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">carry<\/a>\u00a0different types of coronaviruses, therefore, implying that the research conducted at Lugar Lab was a priori linked with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic is wrong. Only 7 coronaviruses can invoke the disease after penetrating the human body. All of them were studied by scientists long\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/what-did-severouralskie-vesti-actually-write-about-corona-2003\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">before<\/a>\u00a0the emergence of Covid-19. The primary aim of the project was to study the diversity of bats and related viruses in the region. Representatives of the organization conducted trainings in catching bats safely and taking non-lethal samples from them. The project created a network of researchers to study zoonotic diseases and use the framework developed by the organization to work out the best ways to prevent the transmission of zoonotic pathogens to humans.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wabnet.org\/research\/coronavirus-project\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">description<\/a>\u00a0of the project,\u00a0 Lugar Lab researchers Dr Keti Sidamonidze, Lela Urushadze and their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wabnet.org\/country\/georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">team<\/a>\u00a0were involved in the research. The study was conducted in strict compliance with biosafety standards. The group of Georgian scientists has undergone special training in the best practices of biosafety.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, the allegation based on the above-mentioned information around the alleged role of the Lugar Lab in the artificial manufacturing of the Covid-19 is disinformation.<\/p>\n<p>Disinformation and manipulative references to the ongoing study of bats at the Lugar Center and its connection to the spread of Covid-19 have been circulating since 2020. For more information on the Lugar Laboratory and its connection to the Coronavirus, see Myth Detector materials:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/who-hunts-bats-and-who-hunts-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Who Hunts Bats<\/a>\u00a0and Who Hunts Lugar Lab?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/how-did-official-documents-leak-and-what-experiments-are-georgian-scientists-carrying-out-bats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How did official documents<\/a>\u00a0leak and what experiments are Georgian scientists carrying out on bats?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/moskovskii-komsomolec-pennsylvania-against-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u041c\u043e\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u041a\u043e\u043c\u0441\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0446 from<\/a>\u00a0Pennsylvania against Lugar Lab<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The allegations against the EcoHealth Alliance also concerned the virus enrichment attempts at Wuhan Laboratory. Nonetheless, this allegation is groundless as well. Read more:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/node\/5273\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>What did the EcoHealth Alliance research<\/u><\/a>\u00a0in Wuhan and was it linked to the spread of Covid-19?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>Disinformation N2: A new lab called VSL-2 is being built in Georgia, which will not be controlled by the Georgian government.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">video<\/a>\u00a0of Military Arsenal further claimed that Georgia will soon host an additional lab called VSL-2, which will not be controlled by the Georgian government. Based on the video, the same information has been disseminated by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/health\/article\/309684\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Svpessa.ru<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>. Both publications indicated Arms Watch as the primary source.<\/p>\n<p>An\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">article<\/a>\u00a0by Dilyana Gaytandzieva on Arms Watch, published on September 6th, 2020, claims that the United States plans to turn Georgia into the largest overseas center for biological research and to build a new laboratory. Based on this information, the Russian YouTube video as well as other online publications assumed that the Georgian government will not have control over the new laboratory. Noteworthy, before the publication of the aforementioned documents, in September 2020, Lugar Laboratory suffered a foreign\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/1tv.ge\/news\/lugaris-laboratoriis-kompiuterul-sistemaze-ucxo-qveynidan-kibersheteva-ganxorcielda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">cyberattack<\/a>. The attack was shortly followed by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/troll-and-kremlin-affiliated-journalist-manipulatively-spread-documents-leaked-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dissemination<\/a>\u00a0of the leaked documents of the laboratory by Gaytandzieva and Lasha Modebadze&#8217;s fake account.<\/p>\n<p>The information regarding the alleged initiative to build a new laboratory in Georgia for a 16-member brigade of American military doctors and leading specialists of the CDC, which will not be under the jurisdiction of Georgia, is disinformation. While it is indeed planned to build a new laboratory near Lugar Laboratory, the construction became necessary not to accommodate American experts, but to expand the existing activities of the laboratory. It should be noted that this laboratory, as well as the Lugar Center itself, will be subordinated to the Georgian National Center for Disease Control.<\/p>\n<p>Myth Detector contacted the Georgian Center for Disease Control, which\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/sites\/default\/files\/2021-10\/%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%96%E1%83%9D%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%9D%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%95%E1%83%98.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">clarified<\/a>\u00a0that the existing (BSL-2) lab space is no longer sufficient due to the increase in the number of activities carried out by the laboratory over the years (hepatitis B and C, safe blood program, COVID-19 related activities, etc.). Consequently, it became necessary to build a new laboratory of the same type, which is managed by the Center for Disease Control.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>Disinformation N3: Georgian military servicemen took part in an experiment conducted by Lugar Lab and became infected with tularemia in unknown circumstances.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HjF35Hczbqk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">video<\/a>\u00a0of Military Arsenal, as well as the materials of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/geworld.ge\/ge\/%E1%83%97%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%9A%E1%83%A3%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%94%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A8%E1%83%98\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Georgia and World<\/a>\u00a0and Svpessa.ru, claim that as a result of an experiment conducted in Lugar Laboratory, Georgian servicemen were infected with tularemia in unknown circumstances. Once again, all of them cite the material of Dilyana Gaytandzieva published in Arms Watch as their primary source.<\/p>\n<p>In an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/new-data-leak-from-the-pentagon-biolaboratory-in-georgia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">article<\/a>\u00a0published on Arms Watch on September 6<sup>th<\/sup>, 2020, Gantanjeva writes that scientific studies show that tularemia research experiments were performed on soldiers in Lugar Laboratory, however, they do not explain how soldiers developed tularemia and why they participated in the project in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>The allegation that following a study conducted at Lugar Laboratory, soldiers were infected with tularemia in unknown circumstances is disinformation. Myth Detector contacted the Georgian Center for Disease Control to verify the information. The Center\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/sites\/default\/files\/2021-10\/%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%99%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9C%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%9D%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%20%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%96%E1%83%9D%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%9D%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%95%E1%83%98.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explained<\/a>\u00a0that in 2013-2016, the laboratory was implementing the project &#8220;GG-19 &#8211; Tularemia Epidemiology and Ecology in Georgia&#8221;, funded by the Threat Reduction Agency of the US Department of Defence, which sought to study the epidemiology of tularemia in mites and fleas and aimed at the genetic characterization of circulating strains in the country.<\/p>\n<p>More importantly, up to 500 military servicemen indeed participated in the study, although their participation was voluntary. Instead of the experimental group, the servicemen were included in the control group, which consisted of healthy people from different regions. Only blood samples were taken from the control group and examined by serological methods, which would exclude the possibility for the control group to be infected with tularemia.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>Disinformation N4: Patients involved in the Lugar Lab Hepatitis Program died of unknown causes.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Disinformation related to Hepatitis C has been spread in Georgian and Russian media since 2018. Namely, Georgia\u2019s ex-security chief, Igor Giorgadze has been claiming that secret experiments on the population are being carried out in the Lugar laboratory under the Hepatitis C program, as a result of which a number of people have died in unknown circumstances. According to them, the Lugar laboratory produces an experimental drug, which, in general, costs 80,000 dollars and is free for the Georgian population. At different times, the information was shared by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.1tv.ru\/news\/issue\/2018-09-11\/21:00#4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">1 \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.myvideo.ge\/v\/3669168\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u0420\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f-24<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/m.ren.tv\/novosti\/2018-09-11\/laboratorii-smerti-v-gruzii-byut-trevogu-iz-za-amerikanskih-opytah-na-lyudyah\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u0420\u0415\u041d \u0422\u0412<\/a>, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/tvzvezda.ru\/news\/vstrane_i_mire\/content\/201809141924-89y1.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u0417\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0434\u0430<\/a>&#8221;\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ntv.ru\/video\/1637121\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u041d\u0422\u0412<\/a>, Sputnik-Georgia&#8217;s Russian-language\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sputnik-georgia.ru\/interview\/20180917\/242126308\/24-cheloveka-umerli-v-odin-den---Giorgadze-rasskazal-o-podopytnykh-v-tsentre-Lugara.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">website<\/a>\u00a0and Georgian-language online editions (<a href=\"http:\/\/saqinform.ge\/news\/39262\/saqarTvelos+saxelmwifo+ushishroebis+eqsministrma+igor+giorgaZem+daiwyo+dokumentebis+gamoqveyneba+saqarTveloshi+amerikuli+laboratoriis+saqmianobis+shesaxeb%2C+sadac+adamianebze+letaluri+eqsperimentebis+chatareba+sheeZloT.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Saqinform<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>The allegations are false since the Lugar Laboratory is involved only in the part of diagnostics rather than treatment of the Hepatitis C elimination program.<br \/>\nFor more details about the Hepatitis C elimination program and the role of the Lugar Lab in it, see our articles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/giorgadzes-claims-about-hepatitis-c-treatment-program-allegedly-causing-death-are-groundless\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Giorgadze\u2019s Claims about Hepatitis<\/a>\u00a0C Treatment Program Allegedly Causing Death are Groundless<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/why-sovaldi-listed-among-vital-medications-russia-considered-dangerous-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why is Sovaldi Listed Among Vital Medications in Russia<\/a>\u00a0Considered \u201cDangerous\u201d at Lugar Lab?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"color: #e3523f;\"><strong>Disinformation N5: The U.S. is collecting genetic material from people of the Caucasus that may be used to create ethnic bio-weapons; Out of the 12 employees of the \u2018Bat research program\u2019 at the Lugar Center, 7 of them were involved in creating bioweapons.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The allegation that Lugar Laboratory is utilized by the U.S. to produce biological weapons is disinformation. Similar information has been repeatedly voiced by both Georgian pro-Russian actors and Russia itself. For example, on May 26<sup>th<\/sup>, 2020, the Russian government accused the Lugar Center of producing biological weapons and thus violating the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the Russian government\u2019s accusations, the Georgian Foreign Ministry released a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mfa.gov.ge\/News\/sagareo-saqmeta-saministros-presisa-da-informa-(6).aspx?CatID=5~\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">statement<\/a>\u00a0on May 27<sup>th<\/sup>, rejecting the violation of the Biological Weapons Convention by the Lugar Center. It noted that the Lugar Center functions as an integral laboratory unit of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health. The facility represents the highest level institution of the Laboratory Network of Disease Epidemiological Surveillance which, itself, is a referral center of the Georgian Public Health System. The Ministry clarified that any research or activity at the facilities of the Center is carried out by the relevant experts exceptionally under the coordination and management of the competent Georgian agencies.<\/p>\n<p>The same statement reads that three virology (poliomyelitis, influenza and measles) laboratories accredited by the World Health Organization (WHO) operate in the Center. Besides, under international quality control, the following laboratories operate at the facility: the diagnosis of rotavirus, invasive meningitis, malaria, antibiotic resistance, diphtheria and salmonellosis. The Center has an international ISO accreditation for clinical laboratory research.<\/p>\n<p>For more details about the conspiracies around the Lugar Lab in the context of biological weapons production, see our articles:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/myth-lugar-laboratory-conducts-biological-experiments-georgian-population-groundless\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The myth that the Lugar laboratory conducts<\/a>\u00a0biological experiments on the Georgian population is groundless<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/why-does-kremlin-attack-lugar-lab-periodically\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why does Kremlin Attack<\/a>\u00a0Lugar Lab Periodically?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/disinformation-global-research-center-alia-regarding-lugar-laboratory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disinformation by Global Research Center<\/a>in Alia Regarding the Lugar laboratory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>About the Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If in previous years the campaign against Lugar Laboratory featured Bulgarian journalist Diliana Gatanjieva &#8211; an affiliate of TV Zvezda, owned by the Russian Ministry of Defense, pro-Kremlin media &#8220;Georgia and World&#8221; and the fake Facebook account Lasha Modebadze, recently blogger Beka Vardasanidze, who is affiliated with Levan Vasadze\u2019s \u2018ERI\u2019 has also become more active. Several additional Russian sources have surfaced, (Military Arsenal, &#8220;Free Press&#8221;), which repeat the story told by Gaytandzieva.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Military Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Russian-language YouTube channel\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCJvmn6upgDfNC3oiQBXotIA\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Military Arsenal<\/a>\u00a0was created on October 29th, 2018. According to the description, in addition to the current political processes in Russia and the world, the channel covers news in the field of arms and security. The channel has 570 thousand subscribers and has accumulated a total of 421,109,797 views. The channel features Alexey Petrov&#8217;s Facebook\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/aleksey.v.petrov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">account<\/a>\u00a0in the description section, who is the alleged moderator of the channel.<\/p>\n<p>The channel mainly consists of videos containing anti-Western narratives, as well as often spreading disinformation about Georgia and Ukraine. For example, on October 17<sup>th<\/sup>, 2021, the channel posted a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6ZuJ9I2KaAc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">video<\/a>\u00a0with the following headline: \u201cUrgent! &#8220;Georgia and Ukraine are sabotaging Russian Crimea.&#8221; The video claimed that Georgian and Ukrainian soldiers were being trained in the NATO training centres located in Georgia to instigate tensions in Crimea.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screenshot_24_31.png\" alt=\"&quot;\" width=\"674\" height=\"202\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"019d4126-0bb0-4be4-8ea8-2a5e126c5dd3\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Svpessa.ru<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201e\u0421\u0432\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0430\u201c is a Russian-language online media\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/authors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">outlet<\/a>\u00a0operating since November 1<sup>st<\/sup>, 2008. The site publishes various types of news, blogs and expert opinions on political, social, economic and cultural topics on a daily basis. The publication has hosts independent contributors along with the editorial board. Among them are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/svpressa.ru\/authors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Gennady Zyuganov<\/a>, the leader of the Communist Party, and Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screenshot_25_28.png\" alt=\"&quot;\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"bb4ab5bd-9124-479b-b477-7704b092e8df\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Arms Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The website Arms Watch is founded by Dilyana Gaytandzieva. According to Whois\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whois.domaintools.com\/armswatch.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Lookup<\/a>, the country of registration of the page is Bulgaria, while the registration date being March 27<sup>th<\/sup>, 2019. The page is devoted to investigative journalism and publishes conspiratorial materials on topics such as armaments, armed conflict, defence and security.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/armswatch.com\/our-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">mission<\/a>\u00a0of the page reads that Gaytandzieva decided to create the website after seizing secret documents signed between state leaders and arms dealers in armed conflict zones.<\/p>\n<p>The first post on the website was published on June 14<sup>th<\/sup>, 2019. It should also be noted that the vast majority of the articles published on the page were prepared by Dilyana Gaytandzieva herself.<\/p>\n<p>Arms Watch has its own\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/armswatchnews\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/arms_watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArmsWatch_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0pages, where the materials posted on the page are regularly shared. The accounts also share posts posted on Gaytandzieva\u2019s personal page, which gives the impression that the accounts are run by Dilyana Gaytandzieva herself.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screenshot_26_23.png\" alt=\"&quot;\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"2996b314-e434-4519-a12b-7c701ce27318\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>See the detailed profile of Dilyana Gaytandzieva\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/profile\/gaytandzhieva-dilyana\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>See the detailed profile of \u2018Georgia and World\u2019\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/profile\/geworldge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Blogger Beka Vardosanidze\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Beka Vardosanidze is a blogger affiliated with Levan Vasadze and his party \u201cUnity, Essence, Hope (ERI)&#8221;, who often shares disinformation related to the coronavirus and the vaccines. Vardosanidze actively covers rallies held by anti-vaxxers. Myth Detector has been repeatedly verifying disinformation spread by him in the past:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/what-does-example-israel-demonstrate-and-can-vaccinated-and-unvaccinated-people-equally\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What does the Example of Israel Demonstrate<\/a>\u00a0and Can Vaccinated and Unvaccinated People Equally Transmit the Virus?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/what-connection-between-pfizers-former-vice-president-and-conspiracy-organization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is the connection between Pfizer\u2019s former<\/a>\u00a0vice-president and a conspiracy organization?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/what-do-anthony-faucis-disclosed-emails-prove-or-disprove\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Do Anthony Fauci\u2019s Disclosed<\/a>\u00a0Emails Prove or Disprove?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Facebook Account Lasha Modebadze<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Lasha Modebadze is allegedly a fake report, the profile of which does not provide personally identifiable information. The account often spreads conspiracy theories about world elite rule, as well as disinformation about the coronavirus and Covid-19 vaccines. Lasha Modebadze has been actively spreading disinformation about Lugar Laboratory in the past as well. For more information, see the materials prepared by &#8220;Myth Detector&#8221;:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/troll-disseminates-conspiracy-about-rockefeller-foundations-2010-document-and-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Troll disseminates conspiracy about Rockefeller<\/a>\u00a0Foundation\u2019s 2010 document and Lugar Lab<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/troll-and-kremlin-affiliated-journalist-manipulatively-spread-documents-leaked-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Troll and Kremlin-affiliated Journalist Manipulatively<\/a>\u00a0Spread Documents Leaked from Lugar Lab<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/moskovskii-komsomolec-pennsylvania-against-lugar-lab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u041c\u043e\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u041a\u043e\u043c\u0441\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0446 from<\/a>\u00a0Pennsylvania against Lugar Lab<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/what-does-troll-say-about-vaccine-replacing-god-gene\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Does a Troll Say About the<\/a>\u00a0Vaccine Replacing the \u201cGod Gene\u201d?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/why-did-president-amend-healthcare-law-and-what-meetings-are-depicted-photos-zurabishvili\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why did the President amend the<\/a>\u00a0healthcare law and what meetings are depicted in the photos of Zurabishvili?<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/was-shevardnadze-member-order-malta-conspiracies-about-post-soviet-leaders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Was Shevardnadze a member of the Order of Malta?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Conspiracies about Post-Soviet Leaders<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythdetector.ge\/en\/myth\/hadron-therapy-fight-against-cancer-cells-not-genetic-engineering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hadron Therapy \u2013 Fight against Cancer Cells<\/a>, Not Genetic Engineering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p>The article has been written in the framework of Facebook\u2019s fact-checking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/help\/2593586717571940?id=673052479947730&amp;helpref=faq_content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">program<\/a>. You can read more about the restrictions that Facebook may impose based on this article via this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/help\/2593586717571940?id=673052479947730&amp;helpref=faq_content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">link<\/a>. You can find information about appealing or editing our assessment via this\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/help\/2593586717571940?id=673052479947730&amp;helpref=faq_content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Read detailed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/page\/correction\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">instructions<\/a>\u00a0for editing the article.<br \/>\nRead detailed appeal\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/en\/page\/dispute-rating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">instructions<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In September-October, the Lugar Laboratory once again sparked the interest of the Russian media (YouTube channel Military Arsenal,\u00a0Svpessa.ru) and Georgian pro-Kremlin sources (Georgia and the World, Beka Vardosanidze, Facebook account Lasha Modebadze). During this period, the aforementioned sources made the following new allegations directed against the Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research: Military Arsenal\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0\u0412\u043e\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[19613,19081,15815],"country":[],"violation":[14399],"topic":[14395],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75807"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75807"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77648,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75807\/revisions\/77648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75807"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=75807"},{"taxonomy":"violation","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/violation?post=75807"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mythdetector.ge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=75807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}