Coronavirus: US counter-intelligence chief fears China, Russia threats to vaccine supply chain
- William Evanina says adversaries are trying to interfere with the US government’s Operation Warp Speed
- Russia and China have denied US accusations that hackers linked to their governments tried to steal data from vaccine manufacturers
The US counter-intelligence chief said on Tuesday he was worried about threats from China and Russia to disrupt the coronavirus vaccine supply chain in the United States.
William Evanina, director of the US National counter-intelligence and Security Centre, told an online Washington Post event that US adversaries were trying to interfere with Operation Warp Speed, the US government operation distributing the vaccines.
“Our adversaries are trying to disrupt that supply chain,” he said. Asked which adversaries he was particularly concerned about, he replied, “I would say China and Russia right now.”
The Chinese and Russian embassies did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Evanina’s assertion. Russia and China have denied US accusations that hackers linked to both governments tried to steal data from vaccine manufacturers.
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