The Increasing Risks of Biological Weapons and Their Impact in the Black Sea Region

Abstract

Biological warfare is the deliberate use of microorganisms and toxins, which may be of viral, bacterial, plant, or animal origin, capable of causing infection and mortality in humans and livestock, as well as affecting agricultural crops. The use of biological weapons in terrorist attacks is driven by the easy accessibility of a wide range of disease-causing biological agents, their low production costs, the inability of routine security systems to detect them, and the ease of transporting them from one place to another. In addition, new and accessible technologies contribute to the proliferation of such weapons, which impact regional and global security. To combat such threats and to preserve culture and peace, it is necessary to fo­cus on biological security and develop preventive and protective strategies through international con­sultations and cooperation.

The article examines the essence of biological weapons and the international treaties that regulate the policy of their non-proliferation. Significant attention is also devoted to the threat posed by biological weapons and their impact on international security. The study further discusses the effects of pandemics on the countries of the Black Sea region, using COVID-19 as an example, as well as the 2022 monkeypox outbreak and its potential impact on the nations within the Black Sea basin. The spread of this virus, which still has an epidemic character, serves as a reminder that smaller outbreaks of infectious diseases remain a constant companion of humanity. The aim of the article is to explore the role of biological security in contemporary geopolitics, the threats posed by biological weapons, and their implications for the Black Sea countries—challenges that may continue to place global politics and international relations in a state of uncertainty. The research employs a historical-descriptive method, policy analysis, and content analysis. The theoretical framework is based on realism theory, biological security theory, and securitization theory.