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Russia Reports Researcher Died of Pneumonia, Cause Unclear

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 6:18 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Russia’s health authorities reported researcher Darya Shipilova died of pneumonia on Oct. 2, cause unclear.
Shipilova worked at Irkutsk’s Anti-Plague Institute and coauthored a March study on plague antibiotics.
Rumors of pneumonic plague prompted quarantine of about 200 lab staff and nearby residents.
U.S. intelligence says Russia continues an offensive bioweapons program despite its biodefense claim.
WHO and U.S. officials have asked for cause-of-death data, but Russia has not supplied it.

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Story summary

Russia’s health authorities reported researcher Darya Shipilova died of pneumonia on Oct. 2, cause unclear.
Shipilova worked at Irkutsk’s Anti-Plague Institute and coauthored a March study on plague antibiotics.
Rumors of pneumonic plague prompted quarantine of about 200 lab staff and nearby residents.
U.S. intelligence says Russia continues an offensive bioweapons program despite its biodefense claim.
WHO and U.S. officials have asked for cause-of-death data, but Russia has not supplied it.