Russia requests emergency UN Security Council meeting to present 'evidence' of Ukraine biolabs

Russia has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council Friday morning to present what it claims is evidence of U.S. involvement in "military biological activities" in Ukraine.

The request was announced in a tweet by Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy and followed claims by Russia and China that the United States is involved in secret biological research in Ukraine. The U.S. has denied the claims and warned Russia could be spreading misinformation to lay the groundwork for a so-called "false flag" operation.

"Russian Mission asked for a meeting of #SecurityCouncil for 11 March to discuss the military biological activities of the US on the territory of #Ukraine," Polyanskiy tweeted late Thursday.

As one of five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Russia can demand an emergency meeting. Friday's session is set for 11 a.m. ET.

The matter exploded on the world stage after Russia made the allegation that the U.S. knew of dangerous biological research labs in Ukraine and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland did not unequivocally deny it in a guarded response during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Tuesday.