Siberian Plague Rumors and Information Blackouts

Amidst ongoing speculation regarding a possible lab-leaked plague in Siberia, a Russian independent magazine has reported notable blackouts in information — including removed social media posts, public service announcements, and news articles associated with the plague claims.

The controversy intensified following the death of Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old lab technician at the Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia. Russian officials have refuted claims that her death was due to a lab-related pneumonic plague.

Russia’s National Public Health Agency conveyed a sense of calm regarding the sanitary situation in the Irkutsk region through a statement on Telegram, asserting that everything was under control.

However, the online magazine Lyudi Baikala (LB) released a detailed article that suggests there could be significant discrepancies in the official narrative. The article’s headline, translated, poses the question: “Is it really the plague!?”

While the Daily Caller News Foundation is looking into the findings from this Russian outlet, they have yet to verify the claims presented.

Shipilova was admitted to a local hospital for severe illness on September 29 and passed away sometime between October 1 and 2. Officially, her demise was attributed to “pneumonia of unspecified etiology,” indicating that while she suffered from pneumonia, the specific cause remained unidentified. The Independent noted that she was classified as having died from “severe pneumonia.”

Despite the immediate quarantine of the hospital following her death, Governor Igor Kobzev informed the public via Telegram that Shipilova had a “particularly dangerous infection,” yet did not mention the word “plague,” as noted by LB.

His statement mirrored information found on the lab’s website, which details the research on serious bacterial and viral infections, including deadly diseases like cholera and anthrax, mentioning a collection of plague strains.

On the same day, Anna Popova, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Russia, visited Irkutsk to collaborate with government officials and medical personnel on an “operational action plan,” according to LB.

Interestingly, Alexey Tsydenov, the head of Buryatia, was cited by Ukrainian National News as stating that plague was the confirmed cause of Shipilova’s death. He claimed, however, that she had not traveled to Buryatia and that no plague outbreaks existed in that region. Just hours later, he revised his post, stating that she was “possibly” a plague victim.

In reports emerging on October 2, Irkutsk journalist Pavel Stepanov suggested Shipilova may have accidentally broken a test tube containing a plague strain, although this claim remains unverified and has been widely spread in the rumor mill.

That same day, various Russian newspapers reported further details about her passing, only to have those reports swiftly removed. The pro-government newspaper Izvestia indicated that a criminal case had been initiated for violations of sanitary rules resulting in death, but shortly after, that piece was also taken down.

Another outlet, Argumenty i Fakty, also deleted a related story about the incident.

In contrast, LB noted that remnants of those articles remain accessible in cached formats on the web. They highlighted another regional newspaper, MK v Kuzbass, which had to retract a story about Rospotrebnadzor dismissing the closure of hospitals for quarantine, although earlier versions are still retrievable online.

Rospotrebnadzor continues to stand by its statement about Shipilova’s death being registered as “Pneumonia of unspecified etiology,” without addressing the rationale behind the quarantine measures for numerous individuals.

Moreover, the outlet pointed out that on October 2, public announcements from government bodies all but vanished, leaving residents in the dark.

On the morning of October 3, local authorities advised residents to steer clear of Shelekhov due to “unofficial information” about plague cases, but this warning was retracted just a few hours later.

On October 4, the management of the Irkutsk Aluminum Smelter implemented a mask mandate, suggesting that contradictory narratives about the plague were circulating. However, the plant’s director later clarified that this measure was not directly linked to the quarantine but stemmed from a rise in respiratory infections.

In a surprising move, Kobzev’s updates on his Telegram channel have focused on unrelated topics, avoiding the significant issue of the plague, despite it being the hot topic among locals.

At this point, President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the allegations surrounding the plague. Trump has previously indicated that the U.S. is prepared to offer assistance regarding the suspected outbreak.

Russian officials maintain that there are no plague cases in the region, reassuring the public that routines in hospitals continue unchanged, even as quarantine protocols remain in effect.