🔬A secret bioweapons lab in Sverdlovsk, Russia suffered a catastrophic anthrax leak in 1979.
🌬️The leaked anthrax spores spread over a 50km area, resulting in numerous infections and deaths.
🚫The Soviet authorities attempted to cover up the incident, claiming it was a result of contaminated meat.
🔍Evidence, including preserved tissue samples, later revealed the truth about the lab leak.
💣The Sverdlovsk anthrax leak is considered one of the worst biological disasters in Soviet history.
What caused the anthrax leak in Sverdlovsk?
—A clogged air filter at a secret bioweapons lab led to the release of deadly anthrax spores.
How did the Soviet authorities try to cover up the incident?
—They claimed that the anthrax infection was caused by contaminated meat rather than a lab leak.
Were there any reported deaths from the anthrax infection?
—Yes, there were numerous deaths as a result of the anthrax infection, with the exact number still unknown.
How was the truth about the lab leak eventually revealed?
—Preserved tissue samples and other evidence uncovered in the 1990s confirmed the presence of inhalation anthrax.
What is the significance of the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak?
—The incident is considered one of the worst biological disasters in Soviet history and highlights the dangers of bioweapons research.
01:00Introduction to Sverdlovsk and its historical background.
03:42Description of the secret bioweapons lab known as Compound 19.
04:47Overview of the deadly nature of anthrax and its effects on the human body.
09:23Explanation of the chain of events leading to the lab leak and the subsequent cover-up by the Soviet authorities.
14:20Discussion of the aftermath of the anthrax leak and the efforts to conceal the truth.
17:44Revelation of the lab leak and the uncovering of evidence in the 1990s.
18:35Final thoughts on the significance of the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak.
