Plague drill and Irkutsk Haditsch rejects media alarm

Aug 24–27

AUF1 describes a late-August Russian–Chinese exercise simulating imported plague in China, involving 19 medical teams and more than 300 participants, including anti-plague institute director Sergei Balakhonov. Pollak juxtaposes it with the later death of an institute employee initially suspected of pneumonic plague, while retaining Russia's denial and the absence of a corresponding diagnosis. He briefly recalls a 2019 Munich exercise and reads Magnet's assertion that future developments will already have been simulated. These comparisons establish no causal connection. Martin Haditsch then criticizes repeated media fear, alleges that COVID-19 was at worst comparable on average to ordinary influenza, and calls the reporting a continuing attempt to induce panic. He argues that present plague treatments leave no reason for panic and criticizes conspicuous measures as medically senseless. Those medical and political assessments remain Haditsch's claims.

Russian and Chinese teams held a cross-border epidemic-response exercise in Fuyuan in late August 2026, simulating plague imported into China. AUF1 reports 19 medical teams, over 300 participants and participation by anti-plague institute director Sergei Balakhonov. Its comparison with the later Irkutsk death does not establish a causal connection.